


Where the Fates Bear Us

by of_the_starlit_night



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Asra's Route, Novelization
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-17
Updated: 2019-01-02
Packaged: 2019-01-17 14:12:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 69,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12367416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/of_the_starlit_night/pseuds/of_the_starlit_night
Summary: All it took was one fateful night for her life to be turned upside down…The novelization of my apprentice, Aurex, as she navigates the abundant mysteries surrounding her.





	1. The Magician

**Author's Note:**

> If you are not fond of pretty much word-for-word retellings of media then you will not enjoy this fic. Only slight changes have been made to accommodate my apprentice.
> 
> Disclaimer: All characters, with the exception of Aurex and Senka, and the story belong to Nix Hydra.

“I’ll miss you, Aurex,” Asra says, standing in the middle of my shop. He’s leaving again, during the dead of a moonless night, no less, because it’s the right time for beginning a journey according to him.

I try to hide my frown, but I’m failing miserably. Asra leaving is nothing unusual, he comes and goes whenever he pleases and I would never tell him to stay against his wishes, but it’s still saddening to see him go each time.

A smile teases on Asra’s lips as he hands me a carved wooden box. “Here… take this. For you to play around with while I’m gone.” A gift? Reaching up to take it, I recognize the worn box. “My Tarot deck,” he informs me before I can say it myself.

My mouth gapes slightly as my fingers trace over the decorative surface. Why would Asra give these to me? Peering up at him from under my bangs, I hesitantly ask, “You think I’m ready, Master?”

His eyes dart rapidly to the side. “You’re still calling me that…”

I don’t see why that is surprising, _I_ am his apprentice after all. It’s hardly anything out of the ordinary to call him that. I’ve done it plenty in the past. Yet here he is being weird about it. Sometimes I wonder exactly what’s going on in that head of his. It must be baffling at times.

A frown knits his brow when he brings his attention back to our conversation. “You know I can’t answer that for you. You’ve made incredible progress, but you still won’t let go of your doubt.” Asra shakes his head before studying me, “Do _you_ think you’re ready?”

Does anyone ever truly think they are ready? Even so, doubt isn’t exactly what is causing me to feel hesitant. Giving me his cards, even temporarily, just seems so final, like he won’t be around to teach me anything anymore.

Asra hasn’t said he won’t return, though, so I am worrying over nothing. Look at me, making things weird now. Shaking off my mood, I smirk lopsidedly at him. “Why don’t we ask the cards?”

A pleased smile crosses Asra’s face. “Excellent suggestion.” He steps away and pulls back the curtain to the back room, holding it open for me. Always the gentleman. I walk past with a grin, the decorative coins on my belt tinkling with my movements.

“It’s been a while since we’ve practiced,” Asra’s voice comes from over my shoulder. His tone sounds remorseful and my smile fades. It’s true, though. With me running the shop and Asra off doing whatever strikes his fancy, we haven’t had much time to just sit and practice.

I glance at him as we are sitting at the table in the back room and notice another frown. He’s in an unusual mood tonight. Asra hasn’t told me anything about where he’s going or what he’s doing, and his attitude is beginning to make me worry. Not that he ever tells me everything of course, but he usually mentions _something_ , even if it’s just the direction he’s heading.

Hoping to pull him out of his funk, I tease, “Because I’ve already perfected it?”

“Have you now?” As soon as the words are out of his mouth, Asra suddenly finds the thread count of the fabric draped over the table very fascinating. I think he has been more disconcerted tonight than I have ever seen before. Stars know he has made flustered me plenty over the time we’ve known each other, and he takes great pleasure in doing so. I have to admit it’s wonderful to have the tables turned occasionally. 

Once his gaze meanders back to my face, there’s something in his eyes that I can’t quite name. “You really are gifted. I shouldn’t have expected any less.” 

He’s always going on about how “powerful” and “gifted” I am. The praise never fails to turn me into an awkward mess. His lips quirk up on one side when he notices my reaction at the compliment. 

Mercifully, he says nothing about it, forgoing the opportunity to tease me further, and gestures to the cards. “Then let’s not wait any longer.”

As I am taking the cards out of their box, I’m surprised by something smooth and cool brushing along my ankle.

“Oh? We’re not alone,” Asra says, only briefly surprised at the serpent’s arrival. Faust, Asra’s familiar, slithers her way up to drape around his body in the way only a snake could and turns her head to look at me. She’s pleased to see me, I think. He laughs as she rubs against the underside of his chin. “If we’re all here… let’s begin.”

I shuffle the deck, the numerous rings on my fingers reflecting the low light of the lanterns around the room. Asra’s gaze follows the cards as they slip through my fingers. Pulling out a card, I set it flat on the table between us. An owl is painted on the face of the card. “The High Priestess,” I announce, already preparing myself what the card has to say.

“And what is she telling you?” Leaning forward in his seat, Asra eyes me expectantly. “Is she speaking to you now?”

When the cards speak to me, it isn’t in any human tongue. Nonetheless, when my mind is clear, the answer comes to me. “You’ve forsaken her.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Asra slump back against his chair, wide-eyed. “I have?”

“Yes. You’ve pushed her away and buried her voice. She calls out to you, but you won’t listen.” Though I have no idea who the cards are speaking of a wave of distress washes over me. Refocusing my gaze from the card and its voice, I meet Asra’s eyes and say, “Master, if you don’t listen to her…”

A sharp knocking startles all three of us, though to varying degrees. During readings, I can become absorbed in what the cards are telling me so I visibly recoil at the noise. A customer?

“Did you forget to put out the lantern again?” Asra teases me, amusement lighting his eyes, before standing from the table. “Just as well. I can’t stay any longer.”

I sulk as I follow him to the front room to wait next to the curtains that lead to the back door. My eyes track him as he quickly grabs up his traveling gear, my arms crossed over my chest.

Asra makes his way toward me and the exit while Faust pops her head out of the cowl that he has wrapped around his shoulders. The snake stretches towards me when Asra is near enough, waiting for her farewell chin scritches. Of course, I oblige, lavishing her with the affection she wants.

“Well then… take care of yourself,” Asra says after a moment of watching the two of us. His words cause an unexpected bark of laughter as I glance up at him with my brows raised. Nothing exciting will happen here, unfortunately, and I’m sure he knows that.

“Shouldn’t I be saying that to you? You are the one going on an adventure after all.” I drop my hand to squeeze his upper arm lightly and mirror his words. “Take care of yourself, Asra.”

It looks as if he still has something to say, but he won’t say it. Stepping ever so slightly closer, he puts on his hat and smiles warmly at me instead, “Until we meet again.” Then he parts the curtains soundlessly and slips out the back door. And just like that, he’s gone again.


	2. The High Priestess

I watch the curtains sway from Asra’s departure for a moment, before I turn back towards the front door. Really though, a customer? At this hour? The knocking starts again, more insistent this time. An impatient one, by the sound of it. Nearing the door, I press my face to the peephole and peer out into the dark. 

A mysterious figure is standing in the glow of the lantern outside. Their graceful hands are twisting together anxiously as they wait. Even in the dim light, I spy jewels glittering along their fingers. I open the door. 

The figure looks up to me, though I can’t see their face from the fabric covering them. “Forgive me for the hour, but…” The figure, someone rich based on the clothing, steps inside and unwinds the shawl from their neck. “I will not suffer another sleepless night. Please, you must read the cards for me.” The elegant cloth slips away, revealing the visitor’s face. At the sight of her, my heart leaps into my throat. “It has to be you.” 

The Countess! Countess Nadia is standing in my shop. I can hardly believe it. Many nobles have visited me for readings before, but never her. “You’ve come to the right place!” I wince internally at my overly animated tone. Not my smoothest first impression. 

The barest hint of a smile tugs at the corners of her lips. “So, I’m told. Your reputation precedes you. Beggars and nobles alike… The people of this city whisper your name in wonder.” Really? I hadn’t known. The Countess’ eyes rove across my body and I self-consciously smooth down my black hair. “Though in my dream you were… different.” She shakes her head slightly. “No matter. I come with a proposal.” 

Wait, what? “D-Dream?” I stammer. 

The Countess’ nose wrinkles delicately. “Yes. An unwelcome ability I have come to possess.” A small sigh escapes her lips. “My dreams are haunted by visions of a future waiting to unfold. But the future I saw, the one that brought me to you…” she shakes her head vehemently, “is one I will not allow to pass.” I feel myself shrink when her gaze returns to me. “Tell me, magician. Will you hear my proposal?” 

“Proposal?” 

The woman seems to enjoy my discomfort somewhat. “Not very talkative, are you? Nervous, perhaps?” she asks me with a small smile. I don’t see how anyone could be anything other than nervous when she shows up unexpectedly at their shop in the middle of the night. Countess Nadia waves a dismissive hand. “You needn’t be. I require very little of you. Be my guest at the palace for a short while. You will be afforded every luxury, of course,” she tells me as if I should know that already, but I’m still stuck on the fact that she wants me as a guest, not even thinking of luxuries. “I only ask that you bring your skill… and the arcana.” 

The arcana… where have I heard that before? I ponder for a moment before realizing I haven’t answered her. I sink into a curtsy, “I am at your service, Countess.” 

A pleased smile graces her face and she nods. “You have chosen wisely, magician. I will alert the guard to expect you tomorrow.” Her eyes trail towards the back, “But before that… I want to see these talents of yours for myself.” She clasps her hands together delicately in front of her. “Shall we do a reading?” 

Under her imperious gaze, I usher her to the humble backroom. I hold back the curtain for her, stretching a little so she can walk past without brushing the fabric as she is several inches taller than me. I move to sit in my chair and the Countess seats herself across from me. Her gaze darts around the small space before falling on the cards on the table between us. The room is far from shabby, but I have no doubt the Countess is used to much more opulence. 

“Go on,” she commands. 

As I shuffle the deck, she folds her hands before her and closes her eyes. The image of a fox greets me. “The Magician.” I move to place the card in the center of the table. 

“How very appropriate,” Countess Nadia muses. She peers down at the card, studying its face. “And what does he hold for me?” 

My mind is clear. The answer comes to me as easily as ever. “You have a plan,” I tell her. 

Apprehension flashes across the Countess’ face. “Go on.” 

“One that’s long in the making. Years upon years.” My eyes lift to hers again. “Now, you seek to set it in motion.” 

“And? Should I move?” Her eyes pierce me, flashing brilliantly in the lamplight. 

I nod my head. “Yes. Act now. Everything has fallen into place.” 

“Say no more.” Abruptly, she stands, giving the card one last glance. I’m barely on my feet when she throws back the curtains, striding purposefully back into the shop proper. She casts her gaze back at me. “Your fortunes are simple. Much the same as the others I’ve heard.” Tilting her head, she continues, “And yet… you are the first to pique my interest.” 

By the time I’ve emerged, the Countess is at the doorway, winding the shawl around her face. She pauses near the door, “Ahem.” I nearly trip over my feet in my haste to open the door. It seems all my grace has fled for the night. The Countess merely looks amused. 

Once outside, she turns back to me. “Until tomorrow, then. Pleasant dreams.” With that, she glides past me and out into the night. For a moment, I’m frozen, staring after her figure long after it has vanished into the mist. What could the Countess want with me, a mere apprentice? 

I shut the door and lean my forehead against the cool wood. All that talk of my “reputation.” Could it be that she mistook me for… 

A voice comes from deeper in the store. “Strange hours for a shop to keep.” 

I whirl around and walk towards the center of the room. “Who said that?” My gaze darts around the shop, chasing shadows in the dark. Unfortunately, my familiar, Senka, chose tonight to leave the shop and stalk the night. A large black jaguar is an excellent deterrent for thieves. 

A distorted voice answers, “Behind you.” Sure enough, when I turn, I see a figure looming against the door. A very large figure from the looks of it, nearly a foot taller than me, not to mention the large coat adding to their size. The person is wearing a beaked mask with red, glassy eyes. “Now, sources say this is the witch’s lair.” My heart starts racing as the masked intruder advances. “So, who might _you_ be?” 

As soon as the intruder finishes, I swing for their head. “Ah ha! You’ve got guts. En garde, then. Let’s see what else you’ve got.” 

A wolfish smile twitches at my lips; I know how to defend myself. I launch a magical attack. Nothing lethal, just a flash of light to distract them as I reach for a nearby bottle. 

The trespasser seems mildly amused. “Oh, has he been teaching you his tricks? Unfortunately for you, I’ve seen them all befo-” Just as the person is beginning to recover from the flash, I launch the bottle at their head. A satisfied smirk curls on my face at their responding sound of surprise. 

Knocked loose by the blow, the stranger’s mask clatters to the floor. My racing heart stops when they lift their gaze to mine. “You _do_ have guts.” Even with the blood running down the left side of his brow, his face is familiar. I knew this man once. Everyone did. Back then, they used to call him… 

“Doctor Jules?” 

A humorless chuckle escapes the man as he dabs at the blood on his face. “Haven’t heard that name in years.” His single gray eye hardens into steel as he advances toward me, but twin balls of flame erupting in the palms of my hands cause him to stop short. Intimidation is going to get him exactly nowhere, best he learns that now. “Quickly now. _Where is the witch?"_ he seethes. 

I scoff, curling a lip at him, and wave a flippant hand in his direction that casts flickering firelight across his face. “ _You_ break into _my_ shop, my _home_ , and are demanding answers from _me?"_ He must be a fool. And inordinately lucky since I didn’t just roast him the second he tried attacking me. 

Waves of fury not my own sweep over me just before a deep growl rumbles through the shop. I smile briefly. Well, Senka’s home. Doctor Jules spins quickly towards the noise, eye widening. His “sources” must have left out the fact that there was a very protective jaguar living here in addition to _two_ witches. Clearly, the man would greatly benefit from new informants. I’d feel sorry for him were he not carrying out a little breaking and entering on my property. 

Extinguishing the spell, I hold out a hand towards the large cat that just materialized out of the shadows of the shop. “No, Senka.” Golden eyes, vivid against her dark fur, never leave the man as she pads her way to my side. Nor does her growling cease. 

“I’ll tell you what you want to know.” There’s no point in keeping it from him as there isn’t much to tell. And if I tell him he can leave my shop. Preferably without having to set him on fire first. Or Senka mauling him. 

“Ha,” he exclaims, turning back to me. “You’ve changed your tune.” I roll my eyes; I haven’t changed anything. “Go on, then,” he says impatiently. 

“He’s gone. I don’t know where.” I shrug, “Believe me or not, it’s the truth.” 

The doctor wipes at his bloodied brow again, mood darkening. “Is that so.” I nod and gesture around the room, giving him permission to look around. It’d be fairly easy to search the shop for Asra, it isn’t very large, just the main shop and the living space upstairs. Not a lot of places to hide. 

Brushing aside red hair sticky with blood away from his wound, the man shrugs. “Well, no sense in wasting the visit. You’re a fortune teller, aren’t you? Tell my fortune and I’ll leave you in peace.” He crosses his arms expectantly. 

“Huh?” I must have hit him harder than I realized. There is no way he truly expects me to read his fortune after he broke in and attacked me. Or rather tried to since he never actually managed to land a hit on me. 

A teasing smile crosses his lips. “That is what that room in the back is for, isn’t it?” I give a hesitant nod, unsure of the motives for his odd request. I narrow my eyes at him as he moves the curtain aside for me to pass. “After you, then.” 

His motions mimic Asra’s from earlier so closely that I am stunned for a moment. How different would tonight have gone if he was still here? Stepping past the doctor I realize I must have been hit as well. Why else would I be agreeing to this madness? I sigh to myself. At least it will get him to leave. Senka’s nearly silent footfalls follow behind Doctor Jules as he walks into the room behind me. 

The doctor drops himself into the reading chair, looming fearsomely over the table. “You know, I used to love places like this,” he muses. Carefully, I take my seat, cold eyes tracking my every move. Senka moves to sit in the space between me and the doctor, her eyes watching him in return. “Go on. No need to be shy.” 

I shuffle the cards quickly, eager to get this over with and choose the card that calls me. As soon as the card is flipped, my mind starts racing. Nothing comes to me but the pounding of blood in my ears. “Death,” I whisper. I have no idea how to elaborate on this card, normally the cards tell me. It could mean any number of things: change, beginnings, endings, loss. The blood roaring in my ears could be interpreted as _anything_. 

The red-haired man’s eye widens. “Death?” he asks incredulously before a sneer replaces his previous shock. “ _Death?_ ” He barks with uncontrollable laughter, sharp as ice. His gaze never strays from the horse skull on the card. “You’ve got to be joking.” 

I jolt as his hands strike the table, and he rises to his feet. Senka does the same, beginning to growl in warning. The doctor’s eye briefly meets mine. “Death cast her gaze on this wretch and turned away. She has no interest in an abomination like me,” he snarls. He moves to leave the room. Overcome with confusion, I follow at the doctor’s heels. 

He seems to have calmed some by the time I reach him. He is certainly an enigmatic one. Turning to look at me, he begins to speak. “You’ve been hospitable, so I’ll let you in on a secret.” I almost want to laugh. Hospitable? Though he has a point, I _should_ have forcibly removed him from my shop, through any means necessary. “Your witch friend will be back for you. He’s taught you his tricks.” He tilts his head slightly and studies me a moment, something unreadable in his expression. “You may even say that he cares for you. But when he returns…” 

He lifts his mask from the floor, staring into its glassy red eyes. The doctor catches my gaze. “Seek me out. For your own sake,” he warns me, “That creature is far more dangerous than you know.” He pauses, looking back to the mask, “Well then. The hour is late, and I’m out of time.” After giving me a long, hard look, the doctor fixes his mask in place. “Don’t let him fool you, shopkeep.” The door slams behind him as he disappears into the early morning fog. 

I quickly move to lock the door and check to make sure Asra locked the back door when he left. A relieved sigh passes my lips as I find the door secured. Finally, I shut the window left open for Senka to return through and lean against the frame. It must have been the way Doctor Jules got in. How he got in the window without anyone seeing him though is a mystery. 

Much like the man himself I guess. If he didn’t know who I was in the beginning, how could he have known that Asra cared about me? Or that I told fortunes? The doctor must be a horrendous liar if he couldn’t keep his lies straight for the duration of his “visit.” And if he knew all that about me, why bother lying in the first place? 

A furry head rubs against my hip pulls my thoughts from the intruder. “ _Sorry_ ,” Senka’s voice floats through my mind. 

I scratch her ears lightly, I know she’s apologizing that she wasn’t around when the doctor showed up but there’s no need. “It’s been a wild night, girl. To think you almost missed all the excitement.” Honestly, she looks more than a little miffed that there was any excitement at all, let alone that she wasn’t around for it. “But there will be plenty more tomorrow when we go to the palace.” 

The exasperated huff that comes from her as I begin to walk away from the window makes me laugh. 


	3. The Empress - Day

I spend the early hours preparing my things by lamplight, casting wild shadows on the walls. There is so much to do before going to the Palace to meet the Countess. How Asra just up and leaves with seemingly zero preparation for his trips is beyond me. I can’t even decide if I’m overpacking or not packing enough for a trip to the Palace. 

All the things I still need to do continue to swirl through my mind as exhaustion hits me. Seeking a moment’s rest, I go to Asra’s room to lie down, too tired to make it to my own bed upstairs, and slip away, lost in a dream. 

The sky is no more than a slim, green line along the endless horizon. Beside me is Asra, on the back of a strange beast. 

“Master, where are we?” Dark clouds bear down all around the landscape, a shifting sea of rust-colored sand. Ahead is a road of perfect black stone. 

“I dare not tell you. If I did, you’d have to promise me never to seek this path.” His white hair flops in front of his eyes as he shakes his head, “Not even I am such a hypocrite as that, Aurex.” 

I’m sure I’ve never walked this road and yet the sight of it feels like an old nightmare. I strain to see where it leads, but the path keeps changing. My movements draw Asra’s attention. 

“Soon there will be a crossroads.” 

“Crossroads? Where do they lead?” I ask, continuing to search the horizon. 

The ghost of a cheeky grin flashes across his face. “Depends which one you take.” Before I can retort, he says, “Now… rest.” 

My sleep is dreamless, then. 

When I wake, early dawn light is filtering through the dusty windows. I push against Senka’s sleeping form sprawled out beside me as I get up. We need to be going if we are to get to the palace today. After a quick trip upstairs to change out of my sleep-rumpled clothing, I throw on a traveling cloak and hurry outside, dragging the heavy door shut behind me. 

Following last night’s intrusion, I turn the first lock, and then the second and third. Almost satisfied, I press my right hand to the door and whisper a cross-me-not spell. The wood lights up beneath my palm, in the pattern of Asra’s intricate designs. White whorls glow deep within the door slowly fading into the grain. 

I breathe out a sigh of relief at the sight of them before a small grin pulls at my lips. Asra used to tease me over the number of locks I have, but he obliged easily enough when I asked for the cross-me-not spell for the door, in addition to the physical locks. They certainly make me feel better. The shop will be well. All will be well. 

I pull my cloak tighter and step out onto the foggy street. The morning mist is thick, yet to be scattered by the heat of day. It blankets the street in an ethereal, milky glow. I take a moment to appreciate the tranquil scene when all at once the hair at the nape of my neck rises in alarm. Someone is near. Someone is right beside me. I turn towards the eerie sensation and notice a dark shape looming in the alley. 

At first, I don’t realize that I’m looking at a human. The form is certainly human, though monstrous in size. Their flesh is scored with scars, clean and jagged, shallow and deep. Shrouded in a pall of weather-beaten furs, it’s hard to make out a face. But they are definitely watching me. No… waiting for me to come out? They stand between me and the path I have to take. 

I swallow a sigh. I have no luck today it seems. Not wanting to deal with any more strangers, I take a step forward, watching the figure cautiously. Stormy green eyes follow my movement as I enter the alley. My steps are careful, but the stranger makes no move. And then… a voice like distant thunder rumbles from beneath their robes. 

“You are in grave danger.” I pause, inhaling sharply. The earthy scent of myrrh washes over me, and I hold still. “He will return uninvited. He will offer you a gift when you need it most… Turn it away. Or you will fall into his hand.” The great figure pauses briefly, “Just like the rest of us.” 

I blink, trying to process what I just heard. There is shuffling behind me, the dragging of rough cloth and chains. And then, silence. I have to go. Now. Exhaling deeply, I continue towards the narrow, mossy steps that will lead me to the marketplace. 

Who was the man trying to warn me about? Asra, like the doctor? I still find it hard to believe that Asra could be considered a danger to me. He’s been with me for years, living under the same roof, and has yet to do anything even though he has undoubtedly had a plethora of opportunities. Or was the warning for someone new? 

I shake my head and groan. What is going on with my life now? Suddenly, everything is tilting on its head practically. 

++++

Wood groans beneath my feet as I step carefully onto the walkway. Daylight seeps through the gaps between the worn planks, shimmering on the water that flows below. It’s early yet, and the marketplace is already wide awake. All around me are the sounds of bartering, laughter, vendors hawking their wares. A voice I know well calls out to me over the sea of noise. My favorite baker, Klaus. 

“Aurex! Have you eaten? I’ve got that pumpkin loaf you like in the oven.” I sniff the air on impulse and my stomach twists in hunger. Then again, I should probably be careful of the time… 

“Won’t be long now. Come, sit down, talk for a while!” He waves a large hand, motioning me into the bakery. 

I struggle with the decision briefly before I step forward. The baker’s sun-speckled face lights up with a broad smile, no doubt knowing I wasn’t going to turn him down. He leads me into the booth and a warm spicy scent surrounds me. 

Klaus moves to the kitchen and I hear the sounds of cups clacking together before he emerges once more shortly after. As I settle against the back wall, he offers me a steaming tin cup and places his hands on his hips. 

“And where is Asra? Sleeping in?” 

I sip my drink, a hot, minty brew, before sighing, “He’s on a journey.” Of course, he had to leave on probably the most exciting night to happen in a long time. I could certainly use his advice, although things would have gone vastly different with Doctor Jules if he had been there. Maybe it’s better that he was away. 

Klaus nods, “Ahh, and where’s he off to this time?” I shrug nonchalantly. The baker gives me an odd look. “He didn’t tell you? How suspicious! You’re telling me that rascal is keeping secrets from his prized pupil?” 

The words are in jest, but they prod at something within me that compels me to answer. “It’s not like that.” Eyebrows raised, Klaus gives me his full attention. “He was acting… strange,” I tell him. 

Smiling, the baker says, “And what’s new about that?” 

The man has a point. Asra can be odd at times, but I don’t know, it just seemed different this time. Like he’s hiding something from me. Something more important than the other things he keeps from me. I look down into my cup, watching the steam curl and twist as it rises. I don’t want to say that I’m worried. Saying that will only make it true. 

The vendor frowns, folding his arms over his chest. “So, he’s off on some mysterious journey. But what of your mysterious journey, if I may ask?” 

Shaken from my thoughts, I blink up at him, startled. By the look in his eye, the baker already has an idea of where I’m headed today. 

“There’ve been whispers all morning, you know!” he tells me, excitedly. “They say the Countess’ escort rode into the neighborhood ‘round dawn. Word is she was wandering about like a lost lamb ‘til she found your door.” Burning with curiosity, Klaus waits with rapt attention for me to explain. But I keep my silence, downing my drink. In a town like this, gossip spreads too quickly. 

“How’s that bread coming along?” I inquire instead. With a shake of his head, Klaus goes to the small wood stove to check. 

He removes the loaves, and wraps one in linen, before returning to my table. “There, all wrapped up for the road.” I place a coin on the table and hand off my empty cup. “Now, run along! Don’t keep the Countess waiting!” he teases. I give a backward wave and head back out into the flow of traffic, Senka on my heels. 

Up ahead is a narrow stairwell, where the masses and their animals are tightly packed. As I climb the well-worn steps, something catches my eye. A fortune teller’s booth tucked away in a shady corner. Silver moons adorn the tapestries draped over the entrance, shrouding it in secrecy. The sight teases a smile out of me. How nostalgic. When we met, Asra was operating out of a place just like it. As I’m lost in my musings, a patron emerges from the booth, caught up in conversation. I give a wide berth and keep my head down. 

“Before I forget, what are my lucky numbers today? Three, six, seven, nine. Three, six, seven, ni-” I don’t notice them backing into me until we crash into each other, a surprised cry coming from them. The impact makes me stumble, teetering on the edge of a step. Senka pushes her head against me to prevent me from falling completely. 

It also upsets the basket balanced on the stranger’s hip, which sends a dozen pomegranates rolling down the stairs. “Oh, perfect! As if I wasn’t already late…” they moan. 

I drop into a crouch beside the stranger to help. These are luxurious fruits. It’s unusual to buy them in bulk. I spot one as it’s about to be stomped under a stray hoof, and swipe it at the last second. When I hand it back to the stranger, their eyes sparkle with delight. 

“Ooh, thank you! How sweet of you to help. And after I bumped into you in the first place.” 

Together, we hunt the rest of them down, maneuvering through the steadily increasing foot traffic. Though we’re nearly trampled trying, we manage to recover every last one. 

“Well, I can’t thank you enough!” they say as they rise to their feet, and offers me a hand. Their grip is strong. The skin of their small palm is rough against mine, calloused. They look down to the basket, “Probably shouldn’t do this, but…” Rubbing it off on a sleeve, they offer me a fruit from the basket. When I accept it, the stranger gives me a smile that warms my chest. “Take care, all right?” With a cheeky wink, they depart, slipping into the crowd. 

“That was Portia, you know.” 

A rattling cough draws my attention. The fortune teller has moved to stand at the entrance of the booth and is eyeing me with avid interest. 

“She’s the Countess’ favorite,” they tell me, before elaborating, “Favorite servant, that is. As for you, you look like a wanderer, yes? Wouldn’t you like to hear what fortune the fates have spun for you?” 

I really should be going, but nostalgia makes me stay. “All right.” The fortune teller claps their wizened hands and leads me into the small booth. Inside, the air is thick with amber and patchouli. 

The fortune teller moves to sit behind a table. “What is your name, wanderer?” 

“Aurex.” 

“Aurex, Aurex, of course…” They hum as their fingers dance over the surface of a crystal ball nestled in a bed of sand. “Wait… Aurex?” The humming stops and color drains from their face. Wide, watery eyes meet mine. “Asra’s Aurex?” 

Ears warm, I sink into my cloak. I had hoped they wouldn’t know me, yet I watch as recognition blooms on their face and their eyes fall on Senka before snapping back to my face. 

“It’s… it’s an honor to meet you! Yes, it’s a great… great honor…” The fortune teller gapes at me for a moment before remembering what they are supposed to be doing. “Um, yes, your fortune… uh…” They nearly press their nose to the crystal, going cross-eyed. A nervous grin spreads across their painted lips. 

“I see… marvelous wealth in your near future! Riches showered upon you! Soon, you will be lounging in the lap of luxury!” They tap their fingers across the crystal surface rapidly and pull back with a gasp. “And… love! Love is definitely on your horizon!” the fortune teller says, “I see it, rising like the sun for you! A red-hot rising star of passion!” 

I nod, dropping a coin on the table and rising from my chair as subtly as I can. The fortune teller is babbling about blazing desire as I back out of the booth. 

“Ah, thank you! Please, do come again! May the fates sweetly upon you!” they exclaim. 

I exit the booth, squinting into the sunlight. Making my way away from the market, I wonder exactly how far this “red-hot rising star of passion” is on my horizon, considering the only person I have feelings for is currently away for who knows how long. Oh well, it will come when it comes. 

++++

As the sun journeys across the sky, I climb stair after stair after seemingly infinite stair. The higher I ascend, the fewer travelers I encounter along the way. By the time Senka and I reach the top of the stairs, I can barely walk. Thankfully, it’s near dark. I wipe the pouring sweat from my sunbeaten brow and look ahead. 

Before me is a towering gate of twisted iron. Beyond that, I can see the Palace closer than ever before. The sight of it makes it hard to catch my breath. It is much more enchanting up close than it is from the city below. 

“Who goes there?” A guard stands on either side of the gate, I notice. They were so still, I had mistaken them as designs in the metal. 

I smooth a hand across my clothing. No doubt I look terrible now having walked so many stairs. “My name is Aurex. I have come at the request of the Countess.” 

The guard on the left repeats my name. “Aurex?” The guards share a look before the one on the right turns to back to me. 

“We have no knowledge of you.” 

“Unless you know the code, you must leave at once,” the other guard informs me. 

Didn’t the Countess say she was going to inform the guard of my arrival? She definitely didn’t mention anything about needing a code. “Code?” 

One guard folds their hands over the hilt of a planted sword. “Yes. A series of four numbers.” 

“If you do not know them, leave. We are not above violence.” 

“Or torture,” the guard on the right mentions casually. I frown at the pair of guards, surely that isn’t something one should calmly discuss with potential visitors. 

The second guard vigorously nods and moves a hand to their sword. “Anything for the Countess.” 

“I know the code.” The words come almost unbidden from my lips. 

The guard nods their head. “Proceed.” 

I eye their heavy swords and swallow audibly. But I think I do know the code. Asra often tells me that when something catches your attention, there’s a reason. If it feels like it has special significance, it does. The numbers are probably… “Three, six, seven, nine.” 

The guards step back, each swinging open one of the massive doors. “Proceed.” 

I nod, keeping my composure even as a thrill goes down my spine. Without hesitation, I walk past them and onto the bridge. The Palace is right before me. I hear the gate slam shut, and there is no turning back. 


	4. The Empress - Night

As the sun drops below the horizon, the palace is illuminated with gold. The geometry of the structure is perfect. Its towers seem to stretch to the stars. Beyond them, I spy treetops swaying in the balmy evening breeze. Drinking in the sight, my gaze trails down the alabaster bridge to the swirling waters below. There’s… something down there. Corkscrewing through the muck, it glows like some kind of bloodless ghost. Its body is long and rippling, ribbon-like. 

“Something catch your eye?” 

Escorting me is Portia, the Countess’ servant. Thankfully, she arrived at the gates just after I did. Had she not appeared, I would be alone as I faced the looming palace. She leans over me, and her eyes light up when she spots the creature in the water below. “Ah. Do you like animals?” she inquires. 

Senka perks up at the question and I rest my hand on her silky black head, nodding to Portia. “I love animals.” 

Portia smiles, eyeing my hand on the jaguar. “Oh, you do? How nice! You’ll definitely enjoy your stay here. The palace is home to all kinds of exotic pets.” She gestures toward the water. “But you don’t want to get too friendly with that one. It’s a vampire eel. Imported from far away swamps. No eyes or ears, but they’re still pretty graceful, don’t you think?” 

She’s right; they are graceful despite their unusual bodies. 

“Unless you splash around a lot, they won’t even bother you,” she says, “But you wouldn’t want to catch a bite. If they bite, they don’t stop drinking until the body is dry.” 

I nod, peering down at the creature as it spirals into the billowing silt. There isn’t a thing in the world that could get me in the water with one of them now. I have to say I prefer my blood inside of my body. Senka, however, seems to have not listened to Portia’s warning at all. She is now staring attentively at the eel much too close to the water’s edge for my liking. I grip her ruff to pull her back, lightly clicking my tongue in admonishment. 

Portia pats my shoulder, ushering me along. She occupies me with conversation all the way down the bridge. 

As we approach the intricate doors, I find myself growing nervous. Uncertainty starts to rise like bubbles coming to a boil within me. Is this wise? What awaits me, in this fortress so far from home? If I walk through these doors… will I ever walk out again? I shake my head, banishing the pointless thoughts. Doctor Jules and the large stranger are making me paranoid. 

Too soon we are standing before the doors and Portia turns to me with a winsome smile. “We have arrived.” She swings her fist against the copper plating, three skull-rattling strikes. As the last echoes fade, the pendulous doors swing inward and I am swept inside, wondering if I will ever return. 

++++

Inside is a different world. Everything is gleaming. The floors, the walls, and the steep ceilings are all clean-cut polished stones. Lining the hall on either side are many servants, standing at attention in brilliant uniforms. My eyes flick left and right uneasily as I am welcomed from all angles. 

When we reach the end of the line, one servant slips away from the rest to join us. Barely four feet tall, a sumptuous blue feather stands proudly from their velvet cap. With a deep bow, they pass me and dash to Portia’s side. 

“How are we doing on time?” she asks. 

“Terribly! You’re terribly late!” the servant, a Chamberlain I think, exclaims. “The fifth course has just been cleared! Her ladyship is in a most unhappy state!” Fifth course? Goodness, the Countess certainly doesn’t spare any expense. 

Portia chews her lip and casts a backward glance at me. Sighing, she hands off her fruit basket to the trembling servant. “Have the sommelier fetch a bottle of the Golden Goose.” The Chamberlain seems relieved that they have something to do. 

“Golden Goose, yes, excellent! Right away!” The servant departs at a hasty clip, disappearing behind a panel in the wall which slides seamlessly shut. 

Portia turns to me, face scrunched in thought. “Looks like I may have miscalculated. We’re very late. I’ll escort you directly to the dining room.” My mouth gapes slightly. Dining? With the Countess? “What? Don’t tell me you thought we wouldn’t feed you!” 

Well, I certainly hadn’t expected to be eating dinner immediately with the Countess the moment I arrived. I’m hardly presentable after the climb to the palace. I probably smell, well, like a person who spent all day climbing stairs in the sun. Ugh, I should have just skipped talking with Klaus and the fortune teller. 

My expression must be a sight. Portia giggles, patting me on the shoulder. “Well, I shouldn’t speak too soon,” she winks at me, “We don’t know yet what your punishment will be.” My knees quake as I follow her purposeful stride and our footsteps echo in a cacophony down the hall. 

Soon we are standing before a fine mahogany door and Portia turns to me. “We’ll go in together, okay?” I feel myself nod and she opens the door, leading me inside. 

I step into the dining room. Rich scents linger in the air, unfamiliar and tantalizing. A quintet dressed in gauzy evening gowns are playing a pleasant, ambling melody. The Countess immediately notices me. 

“Ah, Aurex. This is a surprise. Have a seat. You’re too late for dinner, I’m afraid.” She brings her glass to her lips and drinks deeply. 

I feel Portia vacate her place beside me and another servant leads me to my seat, not paying a bit of mind to the familiar at my side. Coughing, the servant removes what might have been my plate. 

“I was beginning to think you had forgotten my invitation. But… could it be instead that you are very slow? Unaccustomed to travel, perhaps?” Her eyes scan my face. “You look exhausted. Clearly, you’ve been straining yourself. Why, I can see your cheeks gleaming from here.” 

I feel my cheeks heat at her scrutiny. An indecipherable emotion passes over Countess Nadia’s face. Worry, maybe? 

“How tragic that you’ve missed dinner when you must surely be starving. Poor thing. Or… maybe you were simply wasting time?” Faced with her blistering glare, I lower my gaze to the table, cheeks steaming. 

“And after I made a spectacle of myself, seeking your aid at such a desperate hour…” Red blooms across her cheeks. “How embarrassing.” 

Part of me wants to be angry at her. Yes, I did spend more time in the marketplace than I should have. Nevertheless, she knew how far I had to travel to get here. If the Countess wanted me here at specific time, she could have easily sent an escort. But I bite my tongue; best not to anger her any further. 

The Countess downs her glass, and Portia appears at her side with a bottle enrobed in shimmering foil. Her crimson eyes land fondly on her servant. “Ah, Portia. You are my only comfort in the world.” 

“I’m honored, milady.” Portia fills the cup and the Countess takes a sip. 

“Oh… this is lovely. A Golden Goose?” 

I tear my gaze away, anger and shame ruffling my feathers… And notice the strange painting before me. The scene is that of a meal shared among a host of figures with the heads of beasts. The table is laden with small animals provided by a central character with the head of a goat. Rays of gold glitter around its head and its red eyes strikingly lifelike. 

Countess Nadia’s voice rings out across the table. “Our guest appears to be enchanted by our painting. Do you like it, Aurex? The painting.” 

I find the painting beautifully done, it was obviously painted by someone very talented, but I can’t find myself saying I like it. The scene is fairly… unnerving. I tell her as much. 

The Countess sets down her glass, rearing back with a wounded expression. “Oh? How cruel… My husband treasured that piece. It was one of his favorites,” she says. “Though I suppose his tastes were rather strange. He had a powerful fascination with wild creatures.” 

Count Lucio… rather, the _late_ Count Lucio. At the mention of him, I’m thrown off balance. I would never have thought she would speak of him with the likes of me. 

Her hand waves languidly towards the painting. “He’s the goat in the middle, of course. Ever the provider. Indeed, his generosity won the hearts of many in the city. Oh, how adored he was.” I can’t tell if she is happily reminiscent or jealous of her husband. “Lucio had the populace eating out of the palm of his hand. Much like the painting, I suppose. Whatever he offered, the public gobbled it up. They worshiped him.” She pulls her gaze away from the painting to focus on me. “We never had guards at the gate, back then. No one dared to cross the Count.” 

“Because everyone loved him?” I ask uncertainly. 

The Countess takes a long sip of her wine before answering. “Everyone loved him? I suppose they did. He certainly liked to make friends of everyone he met. To give gifts. To entertain. Oh, how fortunate we all were to bask in his endless generosity.” 

One servant coughs, drawing the Countess’ sharp eye. They drop their head in apology. 

“Yes, yes. My husband was very loved. Very celebrated.” She sets down her glass, folding her hands and resting her chin upon them. A smile touches her face. “And did he ever know how to celebrate! Festivities at the palace were quite an event, you know.” Her eyes squint slightly as she gazes at me. “Though I suppose you would not have received an invitation. Ah, but then again, there was the Masquerade.” 

The servants shift imperceptibly. My brows lift to my hairline. 

“Tell me, Aurex, did you ever attend the Masquerade?” Sadness fills her eyes as she gazes off in the distance and she doesn’t give me time to answer. “The whole city came alive, then. Music filled the air. Revelry took hold of the hearts young and old. All in celebration of Lucio. And want a celebration it was when he opened the gates to the public. Wouldn’t it be lovely to do it again?” The Countess sighs, watching the wine swirl in her glass. 

I say nothing, letting the words hang in the air. To hold the Masquerade again… Surely, she doesn’t expect the city to have already forgotten what happened last time. As if she’s read my mind, the Countess’ gaze fixes upon me. 

“Oh, I know what you’re thinking. How could I even entertain the thought?” She shakes her head slightly, melancholy coloring her face. “Now, now, you mustn’t look at me that way. Of course, I know what the Masquerade brings to mind. Such a fond memory for many, and now it is shrouded in sorrow. It was a terrible shock to the guests to find their host murdered so violently.” 

The servants lower their eyes. I too avert my gaze, back to the painting. 

“My poor husband,” Countess Nadia laments. “Burned alive in his own bed. And at the celebration of his birthday. What did he do to invite such hatred?” She smiles ruefully, “But what an opportunity it was, those who hated him. An open gate, open doors, and an open invitation to wander the palace in masked secrecy? Why, we couldn’t have made it any easier. Guests have been scarce, since then.” 

Her face is radiant as she gazes at me. “But now that you are here… All that will change.” 

“What do you have in mind?” I ask. 

“What do I have in mind? Well.” She must have been waiting for me ask since a small smile touches her lips, though it quickly turns sad as she begins to speak. “It is unspeakably lonely, trapped up here in this hollow tomb of a house. I long for company. Especially at this time of year, when his birthday looms ever closer…” 

She seems to mentally shake off her mood. “It’s very simple. This year we will hold another Masquerade. And the palace shall open its gates to the public once more.” 

The servants jolt to attention. I’m shaken as well. Another Masquerade? Surely the cityfolk won’t take to the idea so quickly. 

“I know what you’re thinking. The cityfolk won’t take to the idea so quickly,” Countess Nadia scowls faintly. _How_ does she keep doing that? “As a matter of fact, that’s exactly where you come in. As I’m sure you know my husband’s murder was not the only crime visited upon the palace that day. The murderer was locked away at once in the depths of the dungeons. Yet, he somehow managed to escape. 

“And to the endless embarrassment of this household, we haven’t been able to find him since. So long as he stalks the shadows of this city, I cannot guarantee the safety of my guests. For years he has eluded me, and the trail has gone cold. It seems as though we’ve exhausted conventional means.” She exhales slowly, calming herself before continuing. “And so… where conventional means fail, one must turn to the unconventional.” Her meandering gaze falls upon me. 

Ah, so she finally gets around to telling me what she needs me for. Though I don’t see what I could possibly do to help her find a murderer, especially when her own guards couldn’t find him. I tell fortunes and sell magical goods; I’m not a bounty hunter or investigator. 

“You come highly recommended. Your master is known far and wide. But word on the street is that you have already surpassed him.” Her gaze drops away, but quickly return as if nothing happened. “I may not be fond of magicians, but I do not deny the practical uses of magic. I myself see the future, whether I like it or not. It is because I have seen the future that I know you are the one who will find him for me. Julian Devorak. The doctor who betrayed us and murdered my husband.” 

There’s a terrible crash. All eyes land on Portia, whose face is stricken with horror. At her feet, the broken remnants of the Golden Goose are seeping into the floor. 

Wide-eyed concern crosses the Countess’ face, “Portia?” 

“F-forgive me, milady. Slippery hands,” Portia stammers out. 

Countess Nadia closes her eyes, “You are forgiven.” 

Two servants rush to Portia’s aid, sweeping away the shattered glass with windsprint speed. 

I turn my eyes back to the Countess. “And… if we find him?” She may just be overestimating my abilities. Fortune telling doesn’t exactly lend itself to finding murderers. 

“ _When_ we find him, we will bring him before the people so that all may see his long-awaited punishment. Whether he begs for his life or hangs his head in defeat, the people will delight in his suffering.” The Countess sets down her glass and smiles marginally. “A spectacle of vengeance. The mob will love it. And so, to commence the festivities… the doctor will die on the gallows.” The tension dissolves from her posture and she inhales, shrugging. “Well, if all goes according to plan.” 

The Countess rises. On instinct, I rise as well. “Portia…” she calls out and when it isn’t returned, she repeats, “Portia.” 

Portia appears at the Countess’ side. “Yes, milady!” 

“Show Aurex to the guest quarters. I imagine there is much to ponder before the night is out.” 

“Right away, milady.” Portia pulls me to my feet, and with a humble bow, whisks me to the doorway. 

The Countess’ voice draws my attention. “I’m interested to see more of this magic of yours, Aurex. And I look forward to our partnership.” 

Autonomously, I bow. The Countess looks pleased. Portia hurries Senka and me out the door. 

Portia is quiet as she ushers me down the hall toward my room. I don’t mind. The Countess’ words left us both with much to think about. 

After a few turns, we pass a wide staircase, veiled in shadow. A draft rushes down from the floor above, prickling my skin. It’s cold and it smells of ash. I strain to see where the stairs lead, but the darkness at the top is impenetrable. 

More importantly, curled up on the bottom step are two large, lanky dogs. They notice me just as I’ve noticed them. Fathomless eyes fix upon me and they rise slowly, without a sound. Though they look as though they could strike at any moment, I sense no ill intent. I hold out my hand and they approach to sniff it. Their huffing breaths tickle my skin. The more they smell, the more their tails start to swing from side to side. 

There is a gasp from up ahead, and I look up to see Portia watching the scene unfold with wide eyes. 

“Oh, my… What’s this? You actually got up from your favorite stair?” She rounds back, observing the dogs in wonder. “Well, this is bizarre. These two never take kindly to strangers. It’s just how they were trained, but… I’ve never seen them act like this.” 

Slim snouts brush against my sides as the dogs investigate me further. Satisfied, they draw back, looking at me expectantly. On a whim, I reach out to run my hand over the smaller one’s silky coat. 

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you!” The dog rears back. From my hand or from Portia’s panicked tone, I’m not sure. “Sorry. I know they’re gorgeous and all. But they’re also a little unpredictable. I’d rather you keep that hand.” 

She turns her gaze to the dogs. “Now go on, you two! Protect your stairs.” The hounds trot dutifully back to their spot. They nearly blend into the marble. “Shall we continue?” 

I follow at Portia’s heels until we arrive at our destination. Thankfully, it isn’t much further. She swings open the door with a sweeping gesture. 

“And here we are! These will be your quarters, for now, Aurex.” She gestures vaguely around the room. “You can put your things wherever you like. Breakfast is at sunrise. I’ll be sure to wake you.” My fatigue must be showing. I let my bag fall to the floor. “If you find anything lacking, don’t hesitate to ask.” As if anything could ever be lacking here. 

Portia prepares my bed with remarkable speed. Eyeing the smooth linens, I shudder with exhaustion, which does not go unnoticed by her. “All right, you look about to drop. I’ll leave you be. Unless you have any burning questions?” Leaning against the doorway, she bats her eyes expectantly. 

“You dropped something during dinner. Why?” Clearly, my exhausted mind has lost its tact. 

Portia’s expression sours, color draining from her cheeks. Her brows knit painfully, and she bites her lip. For a moment, she’s quiet. “Haha, well… slippery hands. For one thing.” 

I stare, unblinking. I don’t buy it. Slippery hands don’t explain the look of horror on her face earlier. Or her expression just now. 

“It’s just… we were all so glad to hear that the Countess was expecting a guest. And such a lovely guest, at that…” She winks, sighing when I only stare ever more persistently. 

“But to think she asked you to come here for something like this…” She rolls her eyes. “Finding that doctor who, for all anybody knows, could be dead in a ditch somewhere.” Portia flaps a dismissive hand, “I mean, it’s been years since… well, you know. He could be anywhere, right? And it’s not like the guard have had any recent leads. But now that _you’re_ here…” She stares me dead in the eyes. “The Countess is hopeful, for the first time I can remember. If anyone can help her, it’s you.” Her silhouette lingers in the doorway a moment too long. 

“Sleep well, Aurex.” Her soft voice trails off, and I hear the door slide shut. At once, I burrow into the luxurious sheets. It feels as though I’m weightless. Heart thumping to the rhythm of Portia’s steady, ever-distant footfalls, I sink into unconsciousness. 

++++

This is… This is torture. 

After the day-long climb to the palace, I finally have a chance to rest. But I can’t. My stomach is writhing in protest. It’s no use. I have to eat something... My bread from the market! 

The thought of it makes my stomach roll in desperation. I slide out of bed and search for my bag in the moonlight. Only to find it upturned on the floor. My limbs throb with alarm. Did someone come in while I was sleeping? Come in… and go through my things? The image of Asra’s deck flashes before my mind’s eye and I start tearing into my bag. 

There. I find the deck safe and sound, exactly where I’d left it. I sigh shakily. In the far corner of my vision, I spot movement by the door. My eyes nearly pop out of my head when I realize what, or who, I’m seeing. 

“Faust?” I whisper in disbelief. She gives me a cheeky look and slips under the door, tail wriggling behind her. Well, that explains why Senka didn’t seem worried. Casting my gaze towards her I notice she is looking up at me, her head on her paws. She’s trying to look cute. The traitor. 

“Wait!” I call after Faust. I scramble to my feet. She’s quick. I can’t let her get too far. Cursing, I stuff my things into my bag, slip on my shoes and go after her. 

She’s nowhere in sight. I try to keep my footfalls light as I dash through the empty halls. Faust is a capable snake. But if she happens to cross paths with one of the guards… Skidding to a halt on the sleep marble, I reach a fork in the hall. Senka brushes past me with slowing, turning left. Well, I guess she knows which way Faust went. 

The leftward hall leads me onto a balmy veranda, bathed in moonlight. Below, I see the gardens, shady and lush. From up high, I can see that the middle forms a maze of greenery. At its center, there is a clearing. I know at once where to go. 

Silently, I descend to the garden path, shrouded in a warm breeze. As I near the center, the musical sound of falling water grows louder and louder. I reach a fountain. Around it is a wide gazing pool, and overhead is a rich old willow tree. Hanging from the tree… 

“Faust!” Though she nearly gave me a heart attack, I can’t find it in me to be angry with her. And if she’s here, there’s probably very good reason. She flicks her tongue, hovering over the gazing pool. The gleam in her eye says that she wants to show me something. 

I take a seat on the edge of the pool and lean over to peer into the reflective water below, Senka jumping onto the wall to lie beside me to do the same. The longer I concentrate on the shapes in the water, the more they change. Colors too faint to see start to deepen, shadows start to twist and form. Before I know it, my reflection is fading away, and in its place, I see Asra, drawing water to his face and drinking deeply. Each drop that trickles from his hands sends ripples through his image as it strikes the surface. I’m so shocked to see him that I can only gape silently, afraid that any sound will break the spell. Then he shakes out his hair, blinks the water from his eyes, and looks straight at me. 

“Aurex?” Asra looks as surprised as I am. He leans forward, close enough that I can see droplets in his eyelashes. “Can you hear me?” 

I nod, barely able to believe it myself. If this is no spell of his, then how did I…? 

“Incredible,” he laughs. I see now that he is sitting cross-legged, probably beside a pond. His mount, the strange beast from before, is lying beside him, resting its weighty head on his knee. 

His eyes land on the snake hanging above me. “Ah, there’s Faust. Looks like she found you all right. I wasn’t all that sure about leaving her. But after that reading you gave me…” He shakes his head briefly, sending a few final water droplets flying from his hair, then smiles. “I thought I’d trust my intuition.” 

“I’m glad that she’s here.” I glance up at Faust, still hanging from the branch. She looks very proud of herself. Now that I’m over the shock of finding her, I’m beyond relieved to have her near. In the reflection, Asra looks pretty pleased with himself too. It makes me laugh. “I’m glad that you’re here, too,” I smile affectionately. 

His face flushes and the beast on his knee gives a rumbling snort. “Where is here, exactly? I know that tree… are you at the palace?” 

I roll my eyes lightheartedly at him, a smirk curling one side of my mouth. Changing the subject away from him. How typical. I tell him everything that’s happened since we parted. The more I speak, the more his eyes glimmer with keen interest. 

“Unbelievable. The day that I leave was the day you needed me the most. And even then, you didn’t really need me at all.” Asra grins, pride glowing in his expression. Any remaining tension from my recounting of my day bleeds from him as he glances up at his familiar. “But I’m glad Faust is with you, at least. I would guess that she had something to do with this. If anything happens to either of you, I’ll know. I can live with that.” 

Then he studies me with narrowed eyes. “More importantly… your stomach has been gurgling.” Oh. I hadn’t noticed. I feel heat creeping up my neck as I avoid the knowing look he’s giving me. Asra’s frown persists in spite of me pointedly ignoring it; I can _hear_ it in his voice. “You walked all day, didn’t you? You have to eat.” 

I know that. Turning away from his disciplinary tone, I ruffle through my bag. Stars, he can be such a mother hen sometimes. Just like Senka. Two peas in a pod those two. 

“You know, I would say that I’m surprised the Countess didn’t feed you, but…” A surprised sound interrupts Asra’s words. “Isn’t that your bread?” 

Funny how he can tell so easily and he’s not even here. I nod, uncovering the loaf from its linen wrappings. The smell hits me with a powerful ache. I start eating immediately, to Asra’s obvious relief. The attention is a little embarrassing. I concentrate on chewing until the silence becomes unbearable. I slant my eyes towards him. “The bread guy said you were a rascal.” 

An amused look crosses his face. “Did he really? Well…” The beast on Asra’s knee groans, blinking awake and peering up into his face. Asra’s face falls. “Ah. Looks like we’ve rested long enough. We have to go.” 

Disappointment floods through me. I don’t want to quit talking, not yet. Despite the strange method, it’s the most normal thing that has happened in the short time since he left. 

“But…” his gaze meets mine, “I’m really glad I got to see you.” I lift a weary hand, wiggling my fingers at him in farewell. 

He rises, and with one last glance, moves out of my view. The lumbering beast shuffles behind him. My only warning is the roaring wind before the image is enveloped in a storm of rust-colored sand. When it clears, the water is still, and I see myself reflected with Faust and Senka by my side. For a moment, I stare absently into the water. Then, my stomach makes itself known. I waste no time digging into my bread, devouring it with reckless abandon. 

As I eat, my mind’s eye revisits the image I saw in the water. That place… where was he just now? It looked familiar. That copper sand and the creature beside him. I realize they are the same as my dream. So, it was a vision then. I’d forgotten all about it. The stars must be aligned in some powerful way. But more than that… Master told me once that anyone can perform a magical act. Magic is what you do to make the outcome you desire become reality. 

So… was it my desire to see him? Did my magic reach out to him, wherever he is? Or was it the other way around? Could be both… He did say he was glad he got to see me. 

Mind racing, I rise to my feet. Faust watches me attentively from the tree; I beckon her and Senka to follow. She drops from the branch to wrap around the cat. Getting to my room unnoticed is going to be a challenge. Steeling myself, I turn back toward the palace. 

As I go, I listen to the birds’ echoing calls, and I feel the weight of eyes on my back. Many eyes, from every corner of the garden. This place is teeming with life. 

“That snake has gotten… much bigger…” 

I need sleep. The rustling leaves sound too much like whispers. Hastening my step, I retreat up the stairs and slip back inside. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you are interested in knowing more about Aurex or just what she looks like, here is her link to her [tag](http://of-the-starlit-night.tumblr.com/tagged/aurex) on my tumblr or a [direct link](http://of-the-starlit-night.tumblr.com/tagged/aurex-ref) to her refs.


	5. The Emperor - Day

I’m walking down the black stone path, whipped by wind and rust-colored sand. The thick, dark clouds hanging overhead are heavier than before. 

Before… I’m dreaming again. Then where is Asra? 

The unforgiving wind burns my eyes as I search the desolate landscape. Up there, ahead of me. Too far ahead to reach, I see my teacher and the lumbering beast. Calling out is useless. I have no voice. But they are standing still, side by side. And as I look harder I see that they have stopped at a fork in the road. One way goes east, the other west. 

Asra dismounts the creature, placing a hand on its hide. A lingering look and it turns down the path to the east, disappearing into the tempestuous sea of sand. Asra turns to the path on the west and I know at once he is going the wrong way. I call out to him, but my voice is nothing more than soundless shapes on my lips. 

“Not that way! Not again!” 

His head turns. Even from the uncrossable distance, I feel our eyes meet. Then he drops his gaze, turns back, and continues down the westward path, fading from my sight. I’m calling after him even as my dream is swallowed by sand. 

Sunlight tickles my face. I open my eyes with a groan. 

“Morning, Aurex!” a voice greets enthusiastically from nearby. 

I scramble backward in bed. For a moment, I have no idea where I am. And then I remember. The room is so fine I could only be at the palace. Portia busies herself with the curtains while I get my bearings about me. 

“What a lovely sunrise. Did you sleep well?” Portia turns to me. “I hope the dogs didn’t wake you last night. Something set them off, they were causing a ruckus. Sniffing around the garden of all places. I was afraid we had an intruder!” She rolls her eyes before scowling. “Wouldn’t that just be exactly what we need right now.” 

She laughs, oblivious to my shifty gaze. 

“Well, I didn’t find anyone. It’s a good thing too, because all I had on hand was a shovel. That could’ve gotten ugly.” Portia claps her hands together lightly as if banishing the could-have-beens and gets to business. “Anyway, breakfast will be served shortly. I’ll let you freshen up, then we’ll head over. By the way, the Countess has requested that you bring your cards with you.” 

I sit up at that, fully awake. 

“Ah, these are for you.” Portia sets a neat pile of clothing on the bed beside me. I unfold the top piece, marveling at the way the fabric moves. “I hope you don’t mind…” Portia frowns, “I have explicit orders to make sure you’re not wearing the same thing you were wearing last night.” 

I blink, glancing over to my old clothes. They might be looking a little worse for the wear. 

“I’ll give you some privacy.” Portia ducks out the door. 

I move the silky garments aside and toss back my bedcovers. I disrobe and pull on my new outfit, fumbling with its delicate clasps and buttons. The fabric flutters around my legs like a gentle breeze. It feels as though I’m wearing nothing at all. 

Walking over to the full-length mirror in the corner, I take in the new clothes. Somehow, despite, how little the Countess knows about me, she managed to send something I would choose for myself given the chance. I idly smooth out the skirt of the gorgeous emerald green dress just to feel the fine fabric. I’ve never owned anything of this quality in my life; I’m almost afraid to wear it. 

After speeding through my morning routine, I give myself one final look and retrieve my bag, peeking inside to make sure Faust isn’t hiding there. No sign of her. Sighing, I pull the bag onto my shoulder and step out into the hall. 

“Oooh! Don’t you look nice!” Portia coos. “The Countess has a real eye for fashion. She’ll definitely be pleased. Let’s not keep her waiting, shall we?” 

My chest swells with confidence. Fighting back a grin, I follow Portia to the dining room. 

++++

The room is bright, far more welcoming than before. Servants are bustling to and fro. The Countess is already seated when I enter, and she appears to be nursing a headache. She spares me a brief glance from beneath the hand cradling her forehead. 

“Good morning, Aurex. I trust you had a pleasant night’s sleep.” At my nod, Countess Nadia covers her eyes again. “Well, I had an exceptionally miserable one. The dreams were… vivid. Enough to frighten me awake, and yet I cannot remember any of them. And then, of course, the dogs were feeling active.” She is quiet for a moment, before peering from beneath her hand once more, “Hello, Portia.” 

“Coffee, milady?” 

A groan comes from the woman, “Ugh, please.” A nod and Portia goes to a gleaming golden contraption nestled in the far corner. The Countess strokes her temples and lowers her hand from her face. The full force of her gaze falls upon me. 

“Ah, you’ve changed. Is that the ensemble I sent down?” Her eyes trail over my body, following the lines of the tattoos on my bared arms. “My, my. The difference is astounding. One would hardly recognize you. The fit appears to be correct. Those garments you came with were most unkind to you.” 

Under her shameless scrutiny, my face starts to prickle with heat. 

“Who would have guessed that you were so becoming underneath? Ah, and how nicely these colors compliment your tones.” A smile curls her lips as Portia nears and places the coffee in front of her. “I do have an impeccable eye, don’t I, Portia?” 

“Impeccable,” Portia agrees. 

A sumptuous egg dish is placed before me, drawing my attention. Meanwhile, the blue-feathered servant from last night bustles to the Countess’ side to report some goings-on. I drown out the chatter and focus on my meal, marveling at its delicate texture. And yet my eyes keep flicking up to the painting on the wall. It feels as though it’s watching me. 

The Countess’ voice rises, carrying easily across the table. “Well, you may tell them that they have no choice in the matter.” 

“Will that be all, your grace?” 

“That will be all.” The Chamberlain bows his head and exits the room. I turn my attention back to the food in front of me. I wonder how they managed to make it so fluffy. And the spices, they are so— 

“Now then… Aurex.” The Countess’ voice shakes me from my thoughts. “I understand that you have your cards with you?” Cautiously, I pull my satchel up from the floor and into my lap. “Splendid. Please, come closer.” 

The servants promptly relocate me to a seat at the Countess’ side. This is the closest we’ve been since our first meeting. It almost makes me nervous to breathe. 

“First and foremost, in thirteen days,” Countess Nadia starts, “we will be celebrating the Count’s birthday. Preparations, as you know, are well underway. So, I must ask you to be expedient in this.” Remorse flits across her face. “It is not my intention to rush you. But by the time the day is out, I will need to know whether you intend to cooperate with me.” Her gaze meets mine, “Unless, perchance, you have decided to do so already?” 

I’m not sure I would dare say no. Not that I think that she would do anything to me for refusing, but I feel it would be hard to reject her to her face. And something makes me feel like I’m supposed to be here. “Yes.” 

The Countess’ weary visage blossoms into a satisfied smile. “A wise choice. I am pleased to hear it. If you serve me well, you will have my utmost gratitude. And of course, a generous reward.” 

I perk up at the mention of this reward. So much has happened, I had forgotten all about it. 

“Ah, that eager face will be my undoing. And yours as well, if you do not learn to master it.” I immediately try to temper my expression. “Together, we will make a fine team. Our forces combined are quite formidable. You and I, my guard, and those cards of yours.” 

Her gaze falls pointedly on the bag in my lap. I’m compelled to pull it closer to me. Instead, I retrieve the deck from its hiding spot and place it hesitantly on the table. The Countess’ eyes flash with interest. She smiles, looking out the window with a musical sigh. 

“It is a glorious morning, a new day. I trust that my fortune will have changed.” Her gaze meanders back to me. “Read the cards for me again, Aurex. I would like to know what they have to share on the heels of this fortuitous news.” 

I start shuffling. As usual, the feeling of my master’s deck in my hands is a little unnerving. The cards leave a faint tingling sensation on my fingertips. Distracting, but familiar. It helps me to empty my mind. Pulling out a card I find a bull painted on the surface. “The Emperor.” 

“And what does he say for me?” 

I peer into the face of the card and I listen. “You have proven your wisdom, your intelligence, your ability to rule. Your lesser no longer hesitate to bow before you. Where there was doubt, you have built trust. Where there was chaos, you have made order. When your will is done, this city will sing your praise to the stars, and celebrate as it never has before.” 

There’s a collective fluttering, oohs and aahs. I hadn’t realized the servants were watching. Their faces are radiant with delight. Portia has her hands clasped at her heart. And yet the Countess looks unimpressed. She lifts the card from the table and examines it with a neutral eye. “Well, that is all very good of him to say.” 

Abruptly, she stands. The servants snap to attention. “Aurex. Would you care to join me for a stroll? There is something I would like to show you.” 

Like a flower unfurling, she extends a graceful hand to me. It takes a moment for me to realize I’m meant to take it. Awkwardly, I place my hand in hers and she pulls me to my feet. Her cool touch slips away, and she breezes past me. 

“Come. I suspect you will be very glad you did.” Hastily, I gather my cards and return them to my bag, slinging it onto my shoulder. “Portia,” the Countess calls out. 

Portia quickly snaps to attention. “Coming!” 

I fall in step behind the Countess, and we exit the hall. 

The Countess’ steps are effortlessly swift. It takes some effort to keep her pace. I don’t pay much attention to my surroundings until they start looking familiar. Our path leads us past the marble staircase. I find myself searching the stairs as we pass. No dogs this time. Or perhaps they are curled up in the shadows, out of sight. 

The Countess notices my shift in attention and smiles sweetly. “If you are looking for the hounds, they will be having their morning meal about now.” Her gaze falls on Senka at my side. “You seem to have a kinship with animals. In fact, Portia tells me you were rather enchanted with one of our security eels. I find them rather enchanting as well.” Frowning, she says “Though they are quite unhappy here. Their native climate is deep in the South. Icy, dark waters.” 

I recall the way the creature under the bridge had twisted itself into the mud. It was probably cooler there, poor thing. 

“Well then here we are.” The Countess comes to a halt. We have arrived before a panel in the wall, three by four times my height. It is crafted of smooth wood in all the colors of rippling honey. Carved with dizzying intricacy is a great tree in the height of maturity. It's winding roots coil around each other and into the floor. Its leaves and fruit are inlaid with jewels, precious stones, and mother of pearl. The panel glitters and glows from every angle. 

I’m dazzled by its beauty and barely notice that Portia is lagging behind us. I become aware of her presence when she comes to stand beside me. Nervousness is radiating from her in jittery waves. 

“Portia, if you would be so kind,” Countess Nadia gestures to the door. 

“Of course.” Portia retrieves a ring of keys from her pocket. There are about a dozen, each carved of the same wood as the panel, and each bearing a distinct jewel. One by one, she finds their locks in the panel, though I wonder how. Their locations seem completely random. With each key, the roots of the tree start to unwind from each other, pulling free from the floor. When all the locks have been turned, the panel folds upon itself on either side like a paper fan. 

The room beyond is revealed and my breath catches in my chest. I suck in a breath, tasting greenery and golden pages. There are books everywhere. Books winding up the walls, reaching for the ceiling. A library. Asra has told me tales about places like this. I’ve always wanted to see one for myself. 

“Do you read, Aurex?” the Countess asks me. I nod, unable to form words at the moment. The Countess tempers her surprise. “Ah. Somehow, I thought you might.” 

I follow her further into the room, and the door closes itself behind us with a rhythmic, mechanical sound. Portia trails at our heels, fidgeting with the ring of keys. 

“It is a great gift, to read.” The Countess’ voice trails over her shoulder. “Where I come from, it is shared amongst all citizens, regardless of birth. But woefully uncommon here. I suppose you were taught by a relative?” She turns to face me. “Or… your master, perhaps?” 

Her knowing look sends a jolt of squirming anxiety through my limbs. 

“Am I wrong? They say the two of you are very close. Forgive me if I presume. I simply thought,” the Countess trails off, her tone teasing, “he may have educated you in more than magic.” 

I’ve heard what “they” have said about Asra and me. It’s hard not to when the gossip-mongers start as soon as one sees the two of us together and don’t bother to be quiet about it. While we are close, it’s not the same type of close they whisper about. The rumors abounding through the city assume that we are lovers due to the fact that we live together. I wouldn’t have thought the Countess would care to listen to such things. 

Fortunately, Portia steps in, saving me from having to respond. “Milady is in a teasing mood this morning.” 

“Indeed. Ah, my headache is lifting,” Countess Nadia smiles before gesturing further in the library. “This way, if you please.” She moves past me, perfuming the air with a botanical scent. 

I practically stumble after her, eyes roaming the nearest bank of shelves. There are books of all kinds, tall, crisp volumes on mathematics beside broad leather atlases of far away lands. I had no idea so many books existed. Each one with years, maybe lifetimes of wisdom to share. My fingers itch to run along their spines, but I resist. Books like these are worth more than anything I could afford to barter. 

Countess Nadia must notice my awe. “You know, Aurex… you _are_ my guest. If you should like to return here, you need only ask. But for the moment...” The Countess stops before an alcove nestled between the shelves, “I would have your undivided attention here.” 

Intrigued, I peer around the bookcase. Below a tiny window, cast in its slim ray of daylight, is a desk. It is stacked with books, journals and papers, scrolls tucked in its nooks and drawers. Despite the clutter, everything is carefully organized. Someone’s place of study, preserved in time. 

“Aurex, do you know why Doctor Devorak came to the palace?” She sighs. “Ah, I suppose you would… after all, your master was here for the same purpose. To concoct a cure for the disease.” 

My blood runs cold. As she asked, I give the Countess my full attention. The disease, the Red Plague, as it was called, swept through the city like wildfire. It claimed young and old, frail and strong. There was no way to tell who would be the next to fall. In some, it would take mere days for the body to succumb to destruction from the inside. Cases are rare, now. I can’t remember the last time I saw the telltale red in the whites of someone’s eyes. 

“As you know, the Count and I called upon the city, to whomever might be of use in this quest. Physician, scientists, alchemists, witches… yes, even fortune tellers.” Her face remains passive. “All were invited to the palace, in hopes that our resources may aid in their research. Whosoever was able to find a cure, the city and the palace both would be forever in their debt.” 

The Countess looks away briefly, sadness flickers across her face just as quickly, before her attention returns to me. “Perhaps he was plotting even then… but the doctor accepted our invitation. As did your Master Asra.” 

Her gaze shifts to the window. A strange shadow crosses her lovely sunlit face. Curious, I lean in such a way as to get a better view of the window. Odd. It’s in exactly the right spot to see the willow tree which hangs over the fountain in the garden below. 

“While they toiled away in search of a cure, the palace provided everything they might need. This library was open to them, of course. During that time…” The Countess rests her hand atop one of the many texts gathering dust. “This desk belonged to the good doctor. I have had its contents examined laboriously. Nothing of consequence has been found. But with such a volume of evidence, something may yet be hiding here. Something I may have overlooked.” 

Her gaze returns to me, wary hopefulness apparent on her face. “Perhaps you will have better luck than I in finding it.” 

Her touch lingers on the cover of a well-worn tome. She draws away, passing me and perfuming the air with jasmine. “Well then. Good luck, Aurex.” 

Portia follows, and once they’ve passed the threshold, the panels fold over and into their original shape. Senka and I are left in silence, along with the doctor’s desk. Might as well see what I can find. The Countess is not mistaken. I can feel that this desk holds secrets. But where to start? At a glance, there are stacks of books, leather-bound folio, and scrolls tucked away in a little row of drawers. 

There are three towering stacks of books. Some of them are threadbare in their bindings. Others are of rich leather and leafed with gold. I open a well-loved tome and flip through the pages. It appears to be a surgical guide. I note with some discomfort that some of the diagrams are stained with old blood. Though somewhat cartoonish, the illustrations are striking. A few make my hair rise. But I keep looking for some time, to satisfy my own visceral curiosity. And because many of the pages are scrawled over with the doctor’s notes. A drawing of a physician using a curled tool to bleed a patient has a single, dark “No” scribbled beside it. Some of the writing has a distinct quality of frenzy and frustration. But other than that, his handwriting is completely indecipherable. I can’t make heads or tails of it. 

Loose-leaf papers are arranged neatly to one side. They are a little gold with age and thin, almost transparent. Most of them appear to be records. Dates, times and incomprehensible scribbles. But others are drawings. My gaze lingers over these, somewhat surprised to find them. They are meticulously detailed but have no recognizable forms. It seems odd that they would be here among the doctor’s work. Somehow, the patterns and shapes look very familiar, like I should know them on sight. They look almost like… maps? No, that isn’t exactly right. I feel as though I’m missing the picture while it’s plain in front of my eyes. I cast a glance behind me. The air is still, and I am satisfied that I’m alone. I roll one of the drawings into a tight scroll and stow it in my bag. 

An exasperated, and very judgmental, huff comes from nearby. I find Senka looking over at me, her head on her paws, a clear look of scolding on her face. “ _No._ ” 

“Oh, hush,” I murmur, “It wasn’t anything important. No one will miss it. At least not right away.” Ignoring the jaguar’s snort, I turn back to the desk with my own sigh. Sometimes I think that she believes she’s my mother. “You know that you worry too much, right? You need to relax.” 

I unfurl one of the scrolls. The paper is soft, almost powdery to the touch. It is written in the same hurried, fluid scrawl I saw in the doctor’s notes. At the bottom of the page, isolated from the dense swath of cursive, is a single letter “J”. A signature? If it’s signed at the bottom my suspicions may be correct. The letter appears to be addressed at the top. I narrow my eyes at the scribbles on the page trying to make sense of them. Dear… dear sister? Once I have seen the words, I’m fairly sure of them. The letter is addressed “Dear Sister.” 

A sister? Did he have one? As far as I knew the doctor was a bachelor with no family to speak of. My mouth twists, uncertain what to make of this new information. 

I jolt at a sudden ratcheting sound behind me, quickly rewinding the scroll and returning it to its place. 

“Aurex,” the back wall parts, unfolding to reveal Portia, “I hope I didn’t startle you. There’s something going on out by the garden. The Countess is requesting your presence at once.” 

I don’t like the sound of that. I didn’t leave anything behind last night, did I? Even if I did, it’s not like I’ve done anything wrong. Nonetheless, a cold sweat clings to the small of my back as I pull my bag up onto my shoulder. Senka strolls over to the desk. 

“Did you find anything interesting? Clues?” 

I shake my head. Nothing I found has given me anything relevant for the Countess. Portia sidles up next to me, scanning the desk with a curious eye. 

“Well, it’ll take a while to go through everything. You can try again later.” She surveys the desk, tidying everywhere I’ve touched and returning everything to its place. “I’ve got the keys, so you can find me the next time you want to have a look. But for now, let’s go see what all the fuss is about.” 

Portia’s pace is hurried, far from the spirited step, I would normally expect. And she doesn’t speak. The longer we walk in silence, the more anxious I become. I’ve done nothing wrong. But it the Countess should ask me where I was last night… I force these thoughts to the recesses of my mind as we step out onto the veranda. 

The garden below is livelier in the day. A symphony of birdsong echoes from every direction. The warmth of the sun on my skin and the aromatic breeze rising from the blooming plant life eases my mind. I spy the Countess, looking out over the garden with her hands held sagely behind her back. 

“Forgive me for drawing you away, Aurex,” the Countess says. “I do not wish to obstruct your investigation. It just so happens that I was thinking about that fortune you gave me earlier.” 

She turns to face me. Her expression is mysteriously neutral. “Rumor would have it that I dislike fortune tellers. This is not entirely true. I only dislike those that profit by saying whatever they want to say or by telling their clients whatever they want to hear.” She fixes me with a look of gentle disappointment. My heart drops into my stomach. 

“I want desperately to believe that you are neither, Aurex. But if we are to succeed in our little venture, I must trust in your skill. And so…” the Countess smiles, “I have devised a test. More of a game, really. If you win, then we can move forward with our plan, and I need never doubt your worth again.” 

The smile disappears, replaced with her earlier neutrality. “And if you lose… you will be free to go, and I shall trouble you no further. Now then, let us summon your competitors.” 

The Countess turns to her handmaid. “Portia, would you kindly call the prey?” 

Mildly shocked confusion crosses Portia’s face. “The prey?” Understanding dawns suddenly. “Oh! Oh, the outfits make sense now. Okay.” 

Portia goes to the edge of the balcony. She takes in a long breath and unleashes a piercing whistle. As I move to the balustrade, the Countess follows at my shoulder, peering down into the garden. 

Gradually, two figures emerge from the shrubbery, shuffling with obvious reluctance. They are dressed head to toe in fanciful costume. One as a rabbit, the other a deer. 

“The game is to hide and hunt. Aurex, you will be the hunter.” She gestures to the costumed figures. “These two will be your prey. You need not hesitate on their behalf. They have earned their place.” The Countess stares down at the so-called prey. “You, down there.” The costumed figures jerk to attention. “You may remove your masks. For the moment.” 

With cautious, awkward movements, the rabbit and deer unfasten the masks from their faces. I recognize them at once. The guards from the bridge; so, this is their punishment. 

“Milady, this is embarrassing,” the rabbit guard laments. 

Countess Nadia sneers down at the guard. “You are embarrassing. Have you already forgotten how beastly you were to our guest? It is only fitting that you should be dressed as such.” 

The guards drop to a humble kneel, cautious of their costumes. 

“Yes, milady!” This time it is the deer guard who speaks. 

Content, the Countess turns to me, a sympathetic crease on her brow. “I do hope it does not trouble you to chase them. They were most unfriendly to you, were they not?” 

I didn’t think they were all that unfriendly, just doing their job, however unconventional. They should have known that I was coming, of course; the Countess told me she would inform them. “They were only trying to protect you.” 

Below, the guards lower their gaze. One is quite red in the face. A flash of anger ignites in the Countess’ luminous eyes. 

“No. They were only satisfying their own rampant paranoia, not mine. Their lust for violence and intimidation is mortifying. I shall not excuse it.” 

If possible, the guards shrink even further. I can’t help but pity them. “They were worried about you.” 

“If they were, they might have consulted with me. Instead, they continued to act as they please.” She shrugs a delicate shoulder. “However, if it is so distasteful to you, I suppose I can devise another punishment.” 

The guards shout out rejections simultaneously. 

“We, uh, we’re honored to do this!” the rabbit guard says. 

“The costumes are…” the deer guard fumbles for a compliment, “very well-crafted!” 

Countess Nadia stares at them, humming in thought. “Indeed. Fortunate that my husband had such enthusiasm for the arts. Mask yourselves, then. We shall continue as planned. If there are no further objections…” 

After a moment of silence, the Countess continues. “I shall explain the purpose of our game. This morning at breakfast, I found myself considering the task before us. We seek to find one man in a city of thousands… a city where gossip moves more swiftly than we possibly could.” She places her hands flat on the railing. “Daunting, but not impossible. Fate has already drawn him back to town for us. But for what purpose, and for how long? Our window of opportunity may be quite slim. 

“I came to the conclusion that we must not pursue him without knowing exactly where to look. Easier said than done, of course. The doctor’s desk may very well hold the key, but how long before we find it? And then I thought…” Countess Nadia wanders over to where I am standing, “perhaps we might use what we have in another way. Perhaps we might use magic.” 

Her gaze rests upon me, gauging my reaction. “Is it not possible that something in that desk holds meaning to the doctor? Something dear to him, an attachment that might linger to this day?” Her eyes bore into mine. “Even a single leaf of paper may possess a tether to his soul so that a magician need only follow it. And if that is indeed possible… is your magic refined enough to do it?” 

I bite my lip. Given what I’ve found in the desk so far, it is very possible. But my magic has never been used for anything like that. I would be flying blind. 

“If you have never done such a thing before, worry not,” Countess Nadia smiles. “You are about to do just that.” She motions to the tense guards down below. “Each of your prey will be trying to evade you. Moving targets, as the doctor will be. They will hide wherever they so please. Your goal is to hunt one of them down. One of them, to whom, I have given a single leaf of paper. Your Emperor card.” 

My heart stutters and my eyes go wide. The Countess returns my incredulous stare with a patient, shameless smile. She couldn’t have… when did she… I rack my brain, drawing upon my memory of this morning. I recall the Countess’ mild displeasure with her reading. Then, she took the card from the table to examine it. She never gave it back. This is no bluff. She’s really given them my Emperor card. 

Not mine… but Asra’s. I feel a hot flush of panic course through my veins. I may not yet understand it, but his deck is uncommonly powerful. To lose one of the so-called major arcana… I groan. I was careless. In the Countess’ presence, I shouldn’t make that mistake again. 

“Well then. Do you understand the instructions?” the Countess asks. I say nothing, unable to trust my mouth at the moment, and grip the railing tightly. “It is quite simple. Find the guard carrying your Emperor before the day is out. So long as you can do this, I am confident you will be able to lead me to the doctor’s door.” She lays a hand on my trembling shoulder and leans in to speak softly. “Trust your intuition, Aurex. I have trusted mine, and it led me to you.” 

The Countess glides to the balustrade, folding her arms over her chest. “You! Down there!” 

The guards snap to attention. “Yes, milady!” the rabbit guard says. 

“What would you have us do?” the deer guard asks. 

“Run,” the Countess orders. “Run as if capture meant your swift and certain death.” 

The guards scramble to their feet. In a flash, they have bolted in opposite directions. 

Amusement flickers across Countess Nadia’s face. “Oh, my. I do hope they know I’m not serious about that.” She turns her attention back to me. “And Aurex? You may pursue them at my mark. _Without_ your familiar. I implore you not to disappoint me.” 

The sound of beating footfalls is growing farther and farther away. I swallow hard before turning to Senka and telling her to stay. She glares at me, tail flicking with irritation, but she sits next to Portia without a fight. 

“Now then,” the Countess says. “Let the game begin!” 

Cursing my fate, I spring into action, dashing down the steps and into the garden. 


	6. The Emperor - Night

I dash down the stairs into the garden. On the veranda above, the Countess is calling sweetly at my heels. 

“You have until dawn. Do take care in the night, Aurex.” 

Portia’s cheerful tone follows the Countess’s. “Good luck, Aurex!” 

Skidding on the gravel, I whip my head left and right. To the right… snapping branches, the more cumbersome rabbit guard. To the left… muffled footfalls, beating the earth at a furious pace. The deer guard, who looked particularly nervous. Too bad Senka couldn’t accompany me. She could easily catch up to the guards. And have so much more fun than me. 

I follow the rabbit guard into a garden that dazzles me with its splendor. Dark vines with red-orange flowers like little bursts of flame. I recognize them, these flowers. 

I had been wandering crusty-eyed from my bedroom one morning, and the lamps in the shop were already lit. Asra was leaning over two long sprays of the same fiery flower, smiling to himself. 

“Oh, Auri, you’re up. Good morning,” he had said. 

I pointed a weary hand to the mysterious flowers as I moved to his side. “What are those?” 

“Orange hyacinth.” Asra held the flowers up towards my nose. “Here, smell.” 

Their scent was sweet, with a burst of citrus. Asra set one stalk on the drying rack and gave the other to me. I pulled the flower back to my nose, inhaling the fragrant petals once more. “Where’d they come from?” As soon as I said it, I wanted to wipe the smile off his face. 

“Who knows?” he shrugged. “They were left on the doorstep. I just picked them up on my way in.” 

That secret-keeping look. It always made my temper boil. And it had been way too early in the morning to be dealing with that look. 

Beyond the hyacinths, I pass under a marble arch, and the foliage on either side of the path grows thicker. It looks as though the rabbit guard barreled straight into the bushes. Impressive. Feeling overdressed, I duck into the rabbit hole, leaves tickling at my arms and face. 

I’m getting that card back no matter what it takes. And when I get it back, I might just give the Countess a piece of my mind. Maybe. I’ve only been a single day at the palace, but I can admit she’s kept me one step behind. 

Up ahead, I see light dappling through a break in the leaves. I charge through to the other side only to find myself in the maze. The one I had wandered through last night. I swipe at my beading brow. They’re not going to make this easy for me. Strangely though, I feel invigorated. Cool air sweeps past my ankles, guiding me into the shadowy maze. 

The sun is high overhead, waning toward the horizon when I reach the fountain. After hunting the rabbit guard for hours, my heart thrills when I finally spot them. 

But they’re not alone. 

At the other edge of the perimeter from where I stand, the rabbit is backed against a pale tree. Creeping toward them with a rattling growl are the dogs, Mercedes and Melchior. After my dramatic entrance, I’ve got the full attention of all three. 

The guard’s eyes go wide, but they dare not move. The hounds go rigid. Mercedes starts bounding towards me, with Melchior close behind. I stagger back, but they are already upon me. To my shock, they start sniffing me all over, short puffs from their noble snouts tickling my skin. Whatever they smell must be pleasing to them. Before I know it, they are nuzzling against me, tails swinging in interest. 

I look up to the guard and we exchange a look of profound confusion before I feel a tug at my hip. While Melchior laps at my palm, Mercedes is looking at me expectantly. With a huff, she tugs at my bag a second time. Melchior sits back, panting with a wide grin. 

What could they possibly want? I let my bag slide from my shoulder and the dogs start to whine. I rifle through my possessions, the stolen document from the library and my magical necessities. Surely it isn’t those. Impatient, Melchior butts the bottom of my bag with his sharp skull. 

Into my hand rolls my gift from Portia, the pomegranate. As soon as it emerges from the bag, both sets of glistening jaws drop open, tongues lolling on either side. Their tails whip the air with excitement, eyes frenzied with joy. 

“Is this what you’re after?” Slowly, cautious of their dripping mouths, I crouch down and let the pomegranate roll from my palm. 

The dogs dive for it at once, wet shredding sounds and vicious bickering follow. This is my chance! I leap to my feet, ready to charge after the rabbit guard... who is already gone. A gurgle of writhing frustration makes its way up my throat. 

I’m considering my next move when the hounds sidle up to me, narrow mouths stained a gruesome red. Both nudge my flanks as they pass, trotting just ahead of me, turning to me curiously, licking their gory chops. 

They… are they asking me to follow? It is a hunt, after all. Maybe they’re interested in joining? Without Senka, I could certainly use their help. Though I’m apprehensive, I follow the dogs back into the maze. 

The trotting pace set by my unlikely companions has me at an uneasy jog. Where are they taking me? Whenever I slow, they turn to stare until catch up. Our winding path leads us the edge of the garden, where a great wall of lemonstone rises overhead. 

After a while, the dogs come to a halt, each on either side of an overgrown arch streaked with grime. At its apex are two marble goats, their horns clashing in eternal combat. Mercedes sits on one side and Melchior takes the other. They want me to pass under the arch. The longer I stand in wait, the more their faces grow sour. And the more sure I am that there is something strange about the passage they want me to take. 

A rusty groan draws all of our attentions to a small door in the wall, burnished and dusty. It’s open, just a sliver. The light that pours in is impossibly bright… it couldn’t be. An exit? From the palace grounds? 

The dogs seem to sense my realization, fur bristling around their swan-like necks. I move towards the arch, I’m not leaving the palace until I retrieve Asra’s card. The dogs’ grins split wide around ragged pants of excitement. This way, definitely. 

As I approach the arch, I feel a strange aura around it. It only intrigues me further. My every movement tracked by watchful eyes, I step through the passage, under the arch. And the ground disappears from under my feet, and the world is swallowed by darkness. Darkness moves around me. Shadows soar past me, though I don’t move a muscle. Whispers pass me in the unseen current, but I don’t have my wits about me to listen. 

Suddenly I’m falling forward, catching myself just before I kiss the floor. As my palms strike the chilly stone, they raise a cloud of fine dust that settles like silt. 

It’s dark, but nothing like the emptiness I just experienced. I can make out the basics of my surroundings. A long hall, silent and still as a tomb. The floor and walls are frigid stone, and the air smells of ash. The space is desolate, devoid of life down to the smallest mote of dust hanging in the stagnant air. 

Where am I? 

It feels vaguely like I might be dreaming. My head is spinning, and I hardly feel the chill in the air. I heft myself to my feet. Though my heart is hammering, I concentrate on summoning light to my palm. I manage a weak ball of light, just enough to navigate my surroundings. 

Dust shifts around my feet with every step. There is a door ahead, part way open. Inside is a deeper darkness, thick energy swallowing the light. The magic in my palm shrinks to a fluttering glow when I step through the doorway into the gloom. Coming from the hall, it’s strikingly warm inside. The thick air has a strong, peppery smell. 

The weak glow of my magic renders the furniture formless, filigreed silhouettes lining the walls. A heavily canopied bed stretches midway across the room. I pass an extravagant suit of armor and a marble writing desk with a white peacock feather pen. All blanketed in ash. The pale, powdery dust is laid over every corner of the room, all the way up the walls. In the dark, it looks like snow. 

There is a portrait on the wall, twice my height. I approach it with single-minded focus, each footfall stirring the blanket of dust. My dim light stretches up the canvas and I take in the image with straining eyes. 

Though I may be struggling to see, I have no doubt of the painting’s subject. Count Lucio. He looks younger than I expected, or the portrait is old. Or perhaps the artist was catering to his vanity. The red of his coat is the cardinal hue I remember from the painting in the dining room. The golden arm, a marvel of alchemical art. The fur hanging from his haughty shoulders looks impossibly fine, and… I catch myself reaching out to feel it as a hoarse whisper breathes fog into my ear. 

_“Go on. Touch it.”_

I feel nothing but ash sifting down the canvas as my fingers make contact. There is snickering inside my head, as a haze settles over my head. 

_“Nothing like the real thing… seeing, unable to feel. Such sweet torture…”_

Warmth like an ember radiates at the back of my neck. The magic in my palm reacts, its glow stretching past my fingers and down my wrist. The hair on my forearm is standing on end. Suddenly, I’m certain I’m not dreaming. 

My first instinct is to get away from the portrait, scampering backward until my heel catches on the high-pile carpet. Something soft meets the back of my knees and I fall through folds of dusty velvet into the massive bed. Great plumes of ash billow around me when my back hits the bedcovers. I’m blinded, coughing. 

This is Count Lucio’s bed. I’m lying right where he was murdered. Incinerated. Then this fine ash in my eyes, in my nose and mouth and all over me… is what’s left of him. I stare up into the fathomless shadows of his canopy bed and clap a hand over my mouth, smothering a scream. 

Violently I wrestle myself from the bed, swiping the layer of ash from my face. I can taste it. I have to get out of here. _Now._

_“Aww, going so soon? You’re no fun.”_

That voice. I thought it was coming from inside my head before, or I didn’t question it. Now it echoes from every corner of the room, and from within my mind, a strange, throaty laugh. Blinded by darkness and halfway collapsed on the floor, I call out into the roiling gloom. 

“Who are you?” 

Suddenly, the temperature drops, the air so silent that my words echo, distorting my voice. Then I hear shifting in the ash, and a willowy sound, a weak cry, unlike anything a human would make. 

_“Who am I? Nobody…” the voice whispers, “nobody at all…”_

A wistful, grating groan. From my vantage point by the floor, I see white sheets laid over the furniture rippling with movement. I strain my vision to watch the unseen breeze move past me, tickling the trim of the canopy, and out of my sight towards the portrait. 

_“Now, this specimen of a man, clad in this beautiful gold, wrapped in these beautiful, beautiful furs…_ he… _was somebody…_ ” the voice says, equally somber and proud. 

The sound of five sharp tips drags down the canvas, caressing, loving strokes. I slide my harried gaze to see what might be standing there. 

Nothing. There’s no one there. 

I scramble to my feet and make a break for the door. My fear delights the voice, a reedy laugh that grows louder and louder. The air sucks and pulls at my limbs, drawing me back like a vicious current until I reach the door. I stumble out of the dark doorway only to slam into the opposite wall. The cold stone rattles me from my daze. Breaking into a run, I continue down the hall, searching the vague darkness for any sign of a way out. 

All along the walls, there are paintings, portraits. Proud figures in regalia, though the light is too weak to make out their faces. I feel them watching as I force myself faster down the hall. My body is weakening. I take a glance behind me to see how far I’ve gotten, how far I have yet to run. 

When I turn back around I see the end of the hall. I see a shadow moving across the wall, a monstrous shape cast by an unseen form. Two whirling horns rise from the head. Though it stands on two legs, it does not look human. 

It slides away, down a corridor to the right. Before it moves out of sight, it turns to me. Two eyes blaze from the shadow’s face, brilliant points of red. When they fall upon me, an arid heat blasts through my body. Then the shadow moves down the corridor, and I hear a throaty purr as if it was right behind me. 

_“I have a surprise for you… follow me.”_

As if led by the chin, I wander down the hallway, toward the surprise waiting for me around the corner. At the end of the hall, there is a final portrait, cast half in inky shadow and half in weak light. Glittering rubies, plush leopard cape, and a marvelous golden arm. It’s Count Lucio, as I realize they all have been. His thin lips are pulled tight over gleaming white teeth, and below his cocked brow there are ragged holes, his eyes ripped from the canvas in feathery tatters. 

_“Vanity can be such a hassle.”_

The voice again. This time it comes from outside my head, down the corridor. I turn toward the spectral light. I only see it for a moment. Only a silhouette, stark against the wall of high windows frosted with smoke. In that moment I see claws, horns, and hooves like onyx. The white face of a goat with the red eyes fixed gleefully on me. As soon as I’ve seen it, it’s gone. 

I hear clambering off to the side, up a set of wide marble steps. While I stand immobilized in the pale window light a newcomer tromps up the stairs into the hall, letting loose a garbled yelp at the sight of me. My heart rate spikes. 

It’s the rabbit guard. They are so badly startled by my appearance that they leap back against the wall, fists raised. The longer we blink at each other, the more I feel as though I’m waking from a dream. 

“I… thought I heard something…” the guard stutters, “how did you… where did you come from?” 

I shift my gaze down the dark hallway, every hair rising to attention. I find myself hurrying over to the guard who takes a moment to look closely at my face. 

“What happened to you?” 

Suddenly, acutely conscious of the ash powdered over my shoulders and legs, I grimace from the pit of my soul. I was in the garden, and suddenly I was here. I heard a voice, and I saw a shadow. I’m disoriented, but I know better than to share these things with the guard. Or anyone, until I better know my own mind. In the meantime… 

“I need a bath.” 

The guard nods, lowering their defensive stance and watching me with cautious wonder. “Then you shall have one. But first…” Reaching into an unseen hip pocket, the rabbit guard produces a slim card and presents it to me. 

The Emperor card. As brief as our separation may have been, my heart aches with joy at its familiar face. I was not looking forward to informing Asra that I was extraordinarily careless with his deck. The guard sighs and offers me a hesitant smile when I snatch the card from their fingers. 

“You earned it. Not sure how, but you found me. The Countess will be over the moon.” They peer warily down the hall, bristling with trepidation, and turn back to me. “Let’s get out of here. You’re not the only one who wants to change.” 

I nod absently, disoriented as I follow the guard from the icy hall. 

++++

I’m heavy-lidded with exhaustion as the guard, imposing even in costume, leads me to the bathing chambers. The gentle herbal steam rising from the bathwater renews me. I don’t notice when Portia and Senka arrive until a rough tongue runs across my cheek that makes me splash water, followed by an aggressively affectionate head rubbing against my own. 

_“Worried,”_ Senka tells me. Pressing soft kisses to her face, I whisper reassuringly to her until she calms down. 

“Gooood evening, Aurex!” Portia greets with a laugh, no doubt over the fussy cat that’s half-way to being in the bathtub with me. “I brought you an outfit. Your other one will have to be,” she pauses as her eyes fall on ash-coated silk with a grimace, “specially treated.”

I hope she means specially treated with fire, that’s the only way I can see to deal with it. My eyes follow her as she sets the clothing near the tub and walks away to give me some privacy to step out of the tub. The clothes, a shirt and pants this time, are deep orange, purple, and pink in color. Their elegant patterns make my mind wander. They are crafted of a thicker silk, fluid weight hanging about my ankles and elbows. 

As I dress, Portia lingers in the doorway, picking at her fingernails and chatting to me. “What a run around we sent you on today! And you barely broke a sweat. Everyone’s talking about it. I heard you caught your mark on the stairs to the southern wing, right?” After my sound of confirmation, Portia sounds thoughtful. “Not a bad hiding spot. Most people won’t go anywhere near those stairs… even I get a weird feeling around there.” There’s a shudder in her voice that I understand all too well. 

She peeks at me sidelong, beaming when she sees that I am clothed and ready. “Ah, you look just lovely.” Portia gestures towards the door, “Shall we?” 

She places a hand on my back and leads me briskly toward the dining hall and faint echoes of music. The grand doors swing open as we arrive to reveal an expansive feast, piled high upon the long table. I’m immediately overwhelmed by the sumptuous smells and sights of the food before me. The palace chefs have outdone themselves in variety. There isn’t a single dish I know by name. Everything is richly seasoned with Vesuvian spices. I can recognize the scent of saffron wafting towards me. 

In the center of the table is a whole, roasted pig, which overtakes all the other plates in sheer size. Its face frozen in a docile mask of death, the apple shoved in its contorted mouth like an afterthought. Brilliant red tomatoes have taken the place of its eyes. Their juices drip down its face like tears. Its body lies on a bed of flowers and sprigs of rosemary. I can’t tear my eyes away from the spectacle. 

“Why, if it isn’t my champion of the hour, fresh from the bath. Hello, Aurex.” Nadia rises from her seat at the head of the table to greet me. Her soft smile fades as she follows my gaze. “Ah, yes. The suckling pig was a favorite of the Count’s. Personally, I find it rather grotesque. I suppose the chefs simply wanted to impress our guest. You need not indulge in it if you find it distasteful.” 

She clears her throat and primly sits back down, nodding towards an ornate chair to her side. A servant seats me and fills my glass with a pale rose beverage as the Countess raises a toast. 

“To Aurex, whose talents have exceeded my highest expectations.” Her voice rings out in the room. “Let us be strangers no longer. May this be the beginning of a valuable friendship. I look forward to a long a fruitful partnership with you. I’m sure you will not disappoint.” 

She looks me in the eyes, then drains her glass in one motion, setting it down gently when she’s done. I take a sip of the rosy drink. The delicate floral taste reminds me of the Countess’ perfume. 

“Ah, lest we forget…” she starts, “Bludmila. Ludovico.” The Countess casts her gaze sidelong, toward the kitchen door. Moments later, two figures slink sheepishly into the dining hall. The guards. The rabbit and the deer, freshly bathed and divested of their animal costumes. They shift nervously, armor jostling as they adjust their posture and straighten expectantly for orders. 

“For being such admirable sports, I would forgive their trespasses. But the slight was against you, Aurex.” Her gaze turns back to me. “Shall we invite them to join us at the table tonight, or shall I send them away to enjoy their kitchen scraps?” 

I just gesture to the table with a smile. "They can stay." The guards look at each other in confusion, frozen in place. Neither dares to move. The Countess clears her throat and they promptly clamber to the farthest seats at the end of the table. They seem startled when the servants set plates in front of them and remain nervously quiet. 

Nadia’s lips twitch up slightly as she observes me, before turning to the guards. “They have worked hard today, haven’t they? Very well. Ludovico, Bludmila, behave.” 

They nod in unison and murmur to each other as Nadia’s attention turns back to me. “You have a generous spirit, Aurex. A rarity in this town.” I avert my eyes at the compliment and I can hear a soft laugh from her. “Well, they certainly gave you a good run. Perhaps they played their parts too well.” 

She takes another drink from her refilled glass and settles back in her seat. “Back to the matter at hand. We dine together tonight to celebrate you. As I said, you are a rare fortune-teller indeed to impress me the way you have. 

“Tomorrow, we shall dine together with my courtiers. They are most eager to make your acquaintance. I have no doubt they will find you absolutely charming.” Nadia looks at me with a serious expression. “They will want to know everything about you. But choose wisely what you wish to tell. They are not known for their discretion. Be brief with them, if you like. Likely they will still be reeling from the news. I will be informing them of the Masquerade as well, you see. I imagine they will be ecstatic.” 

I nod slowly, chewing and swallowing hard. The ways of the court are foreign to me. But the Countess will be there. No doubt she will ensure that my premiere goes smoothly. I can trust, at the very least, that she won’t allow me to be too much of an embarrassment. 

“Portia and a retinue of our loudest servants will be going to town tomorrow to make the announcement,” Countess Nadia tells me. “Once the townspeople hear, word will spread on its own. And then it shall be out of our hands. We must ensure there is a sufficient audience for our final spectacle. This is of utmost importance.” The Countess’ crimson gaze narrows as if she is peering into an unfavorable horizon. “When the doctor hangs, he will hang for all who wish to see.” 

I think of red eyes, dark shadows, and the overwhelming heat pressing at my back. Those eyes haunt me. I don’t dare look at the painting on the wall. 

Nadia delicately shakes herself out of her distaste towards the doctor. “But those are tomorrow’s matters. Tonight, Aurex, I have questions.” 

“Questions?” I’m startled by the sudden attention. She is watching me so carefully. 

The Countess nods slightly. “Yes. I wish to become familiar with you. We will be working together very closely, after all.” 

I’m caught a little off guard but quickly recover. I didn’t expect her to have any interest in who I was. She asks me simple questions. How I enjoy the town, my daily goings-on, my favorite thing to eat. I ask her questions in turn and learn that her favorite food is spiced swordfish. 

“Have you ever had it, Aurex? It’s quite delicious.” 

I- I don’t know. It seems unlikely, though. “No, I don’t think I have.” 

“In Prakra, it is a summer dish. I would hardly suffer a warm night without it.” A nostalgic smile touches her lips. “The kitchen does try to humor my requests, but alas, they can never seem to spice it quite right.” 

Prakra, a vast empire in the North. The Countess’ home, though I had thought it was only rumor. 

“Do you ever miss living there?” I inquire. I’ve never even left Vesuvia before; I couldn’t imagine being so far away from my home. 

The Countess looks thoughtfully down into her glass, elegant fingers curled delicately around its stem. She lifts it for a drink and then turns towards the breezy night air coming in from the windows of the palace. 

“Perhaps. I don’t think I would ever return to Prakra, but there are things I miss about my home.” Her gaze lies far away from here, lost in memories. “Often when I was feeling morose, I would take a walk down to the white beaches of my homeland. Observing the opalescent waves crash over the sands would soothe my worried soul. Sometimes I close my eyes and I can still see the water stretch for miles of untouched horizon.” 

The bittersweet expression on her face as she speaks of her homeland makes her look years younger. “I went to the docks once here. The waters were a dull gray.” She looks back to me with a wry smile, lifts her drink to her lips once more, and the moment passes. 

I think of my master on a journey to faraway lands and wonder when he will return home. Thinking of Asra reminds me of something Nadia mentioned earlier that’s been on my mind. 

“You said that Asra was working on a cure for the plague.” 

The Countess raises an eyebrow, gazing at me quizzically. She exchanges a look with Portia. “Surely he told you of his work. He was one of the magicians employed by my late husband.” 

I rack my brain for answers, but nothing comes to mind. Asra never mentioned this before. I resolve to ask him the next time I see him. For now, Nadia may be able to offer me some insight. “What was he doing, exactly?” 

“He—” She cuts herself off, a pained expression passing over her face. She brings a hand to her head. The other raises to stop concerned servants from approaching. Portia hovers anxiously at her elbow. 

“Another headache, milady?” she asks softly. 

“I— yes,” Nadia answers before turning to face me. “My apologies, Aurex, but you’ll have to excuse me. Please enjoy the rest of your meal. I shall see you in the morning.” She stands shakily and allows Portia to support her with a worried hand on her back. Just before she leaves, Nadia looks back at me with some mournful, unreadable expression. Then she is gone, the scent of jasmine lingering in the air for a moment before fading as well. 

A frown tugs at my lips. That was convenient timing. Just when I was about to get some information on my elusive master. Oh well. 

I attempt to engage the guards in conversation, but only manage to extract one-word answers. I sigh and take a bite of the savory lentil dish in front of me. Expensive spices wash over my tongue. The complex flavor profile almost manages to distract from my disappointment. 

Portia returns as I am feeding Senka pieces of the least seasoned meat I could find as a treat, looking apologetic about the lonely end to my dinner. 

“Please don’t take offense from milady’s early departure. The headaches take a toll on her.” 

I nod but say nothing. Silence hangs heavy in the air as I consider the mysteries today has brought me. Portia claps, shaking me from my contemplation, and clears the morose air from the room. 

“Well! Shall I escort you back to your rooms? I’m sure you’ve had a long day.” I follow Portia gratefully, my limbs growing heavier with sleep after step I take. 

The walk back to the guest room is less eventful tonight. Mercedes and Melchior are nowhere to be seen. Our footsteps echo in the empty halls. Portia walks ahead of me, arms folded in worry. 

“Milady’s headaches have been getting worse since she reopened this whole affair. I wish…” Portia sighs and shakes her head, looking back to me with amusement in her eyes. “Things have certainly gotten a lot more interesting around here since you showed up. Did you see Bludmila and Ludovico’s faces when they were summoned to dinner?” Quiet laughter bubbles out of her. “I thought Ludo would die on the spot. He’s always had a nervous constitution. He wasn’t always a guard, I’m told. Bludmila was, of course. It’s her calling.” 

She talks about the guards as if they’re old friends. I start to wonder how well she knows the servants here. “Do you spend a lot of time with the other servants?” 

Portia raises an eyebrow and then stops to face me fully. She looks thoughtful. “Hmm. Well, y’know, I got a lot of work to do. But that doesn’t mean I don’t have time for a little chat now and then.” She shrugs. “It pays to be friends with the little guys. We’ve got all the juiciest secrets.” 

She winks conspiratorially at me and then starts walking again, hair bouncing with the bounce in her step. “I once saw Bludmila benchpress Ludovico without breaking a sweat. She’s frightening when crossed.” 

I have no trouble imagining the imposing woman lifting the other guard. Suddenly I’m grateful I was able to enter the palace without having to face Bludmila’s wrath. 

“Of course, Bludmila would never cross milady.” She lowers her voice, “Just between you and me, I think maybe she’s got a crush.” Portia continues to chat with me until we arrive at the door to my guest room. She waits expectantly for me to enter. 

It seems servants entered during the day to tidy up. They’ve placed a fresh pitcher of water on the desk. Incense burns by the window, filling the room with hazy swirls of wood and spice, and sitting on the bed… 

“Faust!” I keep my voice at a low whisper, worried Portia will overhear my exclamation. My master’s familiar is curled up in the middle of a rich purple damask pillow, luxuriating against its smooth velvet. She lifts her head curiously when I call her name, sticking her tongue out to give my hand an investigative sniff. 

I don’t have time to rejoice at our reunion. I can’t explain it, but I know I can’t let Portia see her. I hastily scoop her up into my silk sleeve, where she curls tightly around my arm in contentment. 

“Hm? Did you say something, Aurex?” 

I turn around, arms behind my back, to see Portia has entered the room. 

“N-no, nothing. Just scolding Senka for nearly knocking me over,” I lie. My gaze flicks to where the big cat is stretched indolently across the bed looking appropriately chastened, playing her part perfectly. “Did you need something else?” 

Portia looks as if she’s dying to ask me a question, but it falters before it can escape her lips. She smoothes her hand over the papers on my desk. I recognize them as the ones I took from Julian’s study. “Milady has requested your presence in town tomorrow before you meet with the courtiers. She thought it best for you to attend the announcement, and publicly show your allegiance.” 

I remember agreeing to help but nothing about my allegiance. Nevertheless. “I’m happy to help.” 

I’m not sure if the look on Portia’s face is pleased or worried. She shifts her weight and nods. “Milady has been dealing with her problems on her own for so long. I’m glad she has you to help.” 

“What about you? She seems to really rely on you.” It’s clear that she favors Portia above all others. 

“Oh, silly ol’ me?” Portia laughs briefly. “Of course, I’ll always be there for her! But I’m afraid it’s not the same. There aren’t a lot of people here that milady feels she can trust.” Concerned eyes meet mine. “Don’t let her down, huh?” 

I nod, but I’m hesitant to promise anything since I don’t know much of what occurred. “Do we know all the facts about what happened that night?” 

Portia looks surprised at the question. Her shoulders relax just slightly, and she gives me a wan smile. “I wasn’t employed at the palace when it happened. I’ve only heard rumors of what went on.” 

“What sort of rumors?” I don’t know exactly how knowing them would help, but really at this point, anything is better than nothing. 

Portia shakes her head and arches a brow, making me feel a bit ashamed for even asking. “I know better than to condemn a man based on rumors, Aurex.” She shrugs a shoulder as she turns to fully face me. “Still, I’d like to help you. Tell you what. You hear anything interesting and want a good ol’ fashioned gossip session, come to me. I’ll see what I can do to shed some light on any mysteries you dig up.” 

A smirk curls her lips. “Portia and Aurex, masters of espionage! World famous super sleuths. I like the sound of it, don’t you? 

I want to ask Portia about the voice I heard in the Count’s room, but I don’t know if I can trust her yet. Faust curls tighter around my arm, reminding me that the Count’s death is not the only mystery to solve. 

“Oh, my! Is it really that late?” The tone of the conversation quickly changes as Portia peers out the window at the night. “Time passes quickly when you’re havin’ a good conversation, huh, Aurex?” 

She smiles and heads back to the doorway. She pauses just inside it; face half-cast in shadow. “I’ll leave you to rest. Don’t forget tomorrow we’re heading into town! I’ll meet you at the palace gates at dawn!” 

I swallow a groan at the thought of having to get up before dawn. “Goodnight, Portia,” I call after her as she makes to leave. 

Her smile widens. “Goodnight, Aurex. May your dreams be ever-pleasant. Or at least juicy.” With that, she’s gone, fabrics swishing as she glides down the hallway. 

Finally, I’m alone with my thoughts. Inevitably, they turn to a tenebrous room shrouded in clouds of swirling black ash, and a voice in my head. I can almost feel shadows sliding down my throat, filling my lungs with viscous inky oil. 

I run a hand over my neck, shaking off the feeling of spectral hands closing around it. I’m being foolish. There’s nothing here. I’m alone in the room. Still, knowing that creature is wandering the grounds sends chills down my spine. Nervously, I rub my tingling skin to soothe myself, closing my eyes and focusing on my breathing. 

Faust curls around my neck loosely as if to protect me, her tail flicking lightly against my cheek every so often. I settle down into an overstuffed armchair near the high windows of my room, looking out on the still night beyond. Feet thump against the floor as Senka jumps from the bed and makes her way over to join us, resting her head on my leg. 

“The more I uncover about this mystery, the less I like it,” I tell them both. 

The snake tilts her head slightly, looking up at me and giving my face a cautious sniff with the tip of her tongue. As if tasting the dust still settled in my soul, she rears back and sneezes so hard it shakes her whole body. 

“Come now… it can’t be that awful! I bathed very thoroughly!” I laugh, scratching behind my own familiar’s ears. “Senka doesn’t think I smell bad. Surely, you’re just being dramatic.” 

Faust lowers her head to my shoulder, basking in the warmth of my skin. I can feel her steady breathing. Slowly, the unease leaves me as I match my breath to hers. The silence which overtook my room lifts. I can hear crickets chirping outside now, singing longing sounds from their hidden alcoves into the lonely night. A firefly floats by the window, mesmerizing Faust with its light for a moment before moving on. 

“You know…” I say to the snake bringing her attention back to me, “You disappeared for a while there, Faust. Where were you? Do you know where my master is?” 

Faust tilts her head and then burrows under my shirt, slithering under the silk with delight. Avoiding questions just like her master. How comforting… and infuriating. As much as I’d like to talk to Asra, my many questions will just have to wait. 

I decide not to question her further. Even if she wanted to answer, it’s not like she could. She may not be like other animals, but her supernatural connection extends to Asra alone, an unbreakable bond like the one I share with Senka. 

She wiggles up over my ear and on top of my head, swaying slightly as she periscopes to reach full height. If I strain my eyes up, I can see she’s almost touching the top of the window frame. 

“Can you see a way out of this predicament from up there, Faust?” Faust bumps her head lightly against the stone and then lowers, curling around my arm once more. “I wonder what our mutual friend is up to right now. Think he’s getting in trouble, wherever he is?” Knowing Asra there is a very distinct chance that the answer is yes. 

“I hope he’s safe…” I trail off briefly, remembering my dream. “I can’t shake the feeling that he’s in danger. You’d tell me if he was, wouldn’t you, Faust?” I gently scritch her chin. She lays her head down flat on my palm, eyes closed as she basks in the attention. “No, I suppose not. Well, it was worth asking.” A forlorn sigh breezes past my lips as I lean my head back against the chair. 

My tired mind turns to silken fur and mismatched eyes with hidden depths, taking me into the shadows. Melchior and Mercedes may have an agenda of their own. I’m not sure what part I play in it, or if I want to know. They clearly knew there was a portal beyond the arch. What else could they know about the palace? Did the Count have hidden passages installed in alcoves all across the grounds? 

I begin to wonder if Nadia knows the secrets her own home contains. I struggle to imagine her elegant gown stained with soot. She doesn’t seem like the snooping sort. Then again, I don’t know her well enough to tell. 

These thoughts swirl nebulously around my head, leaving me more perplexed than ever. With heavy feet, I abdicate my comfortable, plush throne and drag my aching bones to the canopied bed. As soon as I lay down, the weight of my own exhaustion descends, and I sink deeply into the thick mattress. 

I toss and turn, tangled up in the sheets, my mind still stuck on red eyes staring into my soul. Fear locks up my joints once more, and I feel as if I’m back in that charred bed, inhaling the dust of a dead man. I can’t breathe. It feels like the dust is filling up my chest and clogging up my nose, leaking from my eyes. I struggle and thrash against the panic that grips me before twin thuds against my leg startle me out of the fog. 

Soft fur brushes along my arm as Senka moves over my body to lie between me and the wall. The full length of her body stretches out against my side. I clutch at her neck loosely as her head comes to rest on my chest, her voice in my head. 

_“Safe.”_

The lighter thud belongs to Faust. She slithers up to curl against my heart, head nestling into the dip of my collarbone. I run a hand over her smooth body, counting the strokes in my head until the panic fully recedes. 

My eyes slide shut, voice thick with sleep as I murmur down to the jaguar and snake settled against my ribs. “Goodnight, Senka… Faust…” 

I swear I hear the snake reply before sleep overtakes me. 


	7. The Hierophant

It is the same dream, but I’m alone. I have stepped off the black stone road, wandering off into the sand. The wind is hot and dry. Up ahead I see a gathering of palm trees, beckoning me closer. They sway hypnotically over a pool of light that shivers on the horizon like quicksilver. An oasis? 

My throat burns as I break into a run under the rolling clouds. A familiar figure is standing at the water’s edge. Asra. I knew it would be. And yet I can’t seem to get any closer to him. The pool, the trees, and his lonely shape only move further away… 

I lurch to wakefulness, jostled and disoriented. Everything is in motion. A wagon. That’s right… I’m headed to town with Portia, to make the announcement. 

“Aurex, welcome back!” the redhead greets with a smile as Senka noses gently at my palm trying to soothe me. “You always wiggle that much in your sleep? Poor thing, you must still be exhausted. Well, today you can relax…” 

Turning the other servants, Portia speaks up. “All right, everybody, listen up!” The chattering servants, loaded with baskets, fall silent and congregate around Portia. “Noon o’clock, we’ll be making the announcement at the city square. Til then, you all know your errands. Talk to me if you don’t. 

“As for you, Aurex…” she turns to face me with an eager smile, “I thought you might like to check on your shop.” 

Her words set off a cascade of emotions, the first being relief. I would very much to check on my shop. Even Senka seems eager to see our home again as she rubs insistently against my leg, striving to physically push me towards the shop. 

_“Home. Home. Home.”_

Portia grin broadens at our reactions. “I’ll try to find you, but if I don’t, try to be at the square by noon. Bye now!” 

The servants depart, spreading out into the marketplace. Senka, who is bounding ahead excitedly, and I head in the direction opposite, straight for the shop. My very own oasis. Even in the misty, overcast light, it seems to glow. Hopping up the steps, I press my palm to the door and release the sealing spell. Hastily, I turn the first two locks, fumbling and dropping my keys before I can get to the third. 

When I dip down to retrieve them, I spot a small leather pouch resting on the stoop. It is rough in make and heavy with energy. Someone left this for me; picking the knot, I open the pouch. Inside is a magic mixture. Herbs, bark, resin, and incense. I pour a little into my palm and sniff. Myrrh is strongest, but there are scents of sage and marrow root. A mixture for protection. 

I cast a glance to either side of the street, quiet under the cloudy sky. There’s no one nearby. Pocketing the pouch, I fetch the keys and turn the third lock. Just as I lean on the door it swings open and I nearly collapse into the last person I expected to see. 

Doctor Devorak! The sight of him freezes me in my tracks as I struggle to speak, but he beats me to it. 

“Well, hello there. Fancy seeing you here. Here at your own…” the grin that had been plastered across his lips falters, his eyes catching on Senka moving to stand between us, “your own…” He sighs and rubs a hand across his face. “Oh, what am I saying, you’ve caught me, shopkeep. I surrender.” 

Surrender? He couldn’t possibly mean… no, he doesn’t know what I’ve been trusted to do. He wouldn’t be trying so hard to endear himself to me after being caught breaking in, for the _second_ time no less, if he did. Shouldn’t intruders be less friendly and more frightening? But I have no fear of the doctor. He seems to be all bark and no bite. At least so far. 

I fix him with a narrow gaze. “How do you keep getting in? I know I locked up after the first time. So, you’ve either broken in or…” 

“Or I’ve got a key?” With a click of his tongue and a ragged sigh, the doctor pulls a little key from his coat pocket. “Here. If it makes any difference, you can take it. I won’t be using it again. That’s… that’s a promise.” 

He waits patiently as I take the key and compare it to my others. It lines up with my key to the back door. “Who gave this to you?” Only one other person has a set of keys, so I _know_ the answer, but part of me wishes I was wrong. 

“You don’t… ahem, well… well,” the doctor fidgets only a moment, avoiding looking directly at me before he smirks. “Let’s just say I needed to make a couple house calls. After hours.” 

My eyebrows shoot upward. House calls to Asra’s room? Was he ever that ill? If he had been, would he have told me? No… a much different type of “house call” comes to mind, the kind that causes useless jealousy and more than a little irritation to burn through me. 

I glance down at the key and close my fist around it, feeling the teeth bite into my palm. Ugh, I can’t believe him. How could Asra give away a key to my home without telling me first? Though I don’t know why I am surprised. 

I frown, pocketing the key and giving the doctor a wary look. Turns out I was right before; he did know I lived here. Damn well, in fact, considering he was sneaking in to see Asra, there was no way he couldn’t have known I lived here. So, what was the big show about not knowing who I was? 

“Well, I’m sure you have things to do, so I’ll just be getting out of your way…” He takes a wide step, contorting his long form around me to pass, obviously giving my familiar a wide berth. 

“Doctor Ju— Doctor Devorak—” I start uselessly. What does one call the man they are supposed to be hunting down? 

“Take care now. If the powers that be should ever entangle us again…” he smiles brightly, “Call me Julian.” 

I start to tell him my name, but his expression stops me. His broad grin takes only a second to fade before shock takes over his features. Bristling at the nape, I look carefully over my shoulder. 

Portia. She must have come to find me, but she pays me no attention at all. All of her focus, the suspended disbelief in her wide eyes, is on the man beside me. When she speaks the quiet word that escapes her sounds different, an unused voice from the depths of her heart. 

“Ilya?” Portia stumbles then runs to the steps. I back into the wall as she throws herself at the doctor. “Ilya? Is it really you?” Her shaking hands come to either side of his face. His eyes start to shine, I notice in wonder. 

“It’s me,” he nods. 

Tears trail down Portia’s cheeks, her voice getting angrier with each word. “You— you— You bastard! What are you doing here?! Out in the open? Are you trying to get yourself killed?” Her fingers curl, tugging at his ears and drawing a shameful wince. 

“You’ve grown up strong, Pasha. I’m…” Julian frowns, “sorry I wasn’t there to see it.” 

“Ohh, I’ll show you sorry! You unbelievable…” She drops off suddenly and turns. “Aurex!” 

Spotted, I can only offer Portia a curious look. She releases Julian’s ears, tugging him off the stoop. 

“I- I…” she stammers, “I’ll catch up with you later!” Without further ado, Portia hauls the floundering doctor away to an alley nearby, leaving me to ponder. Didn’t they seem like family? 

I enter my shop and head straight for Asra’s room. My curiosity has concocted a theory. The Countess believes a possession of Julian’s is all I need to find him. Perhaps… Perhaps a possession of Asra’s will be enough to call him to me. I could go to the pool at the fountain again, in the palace gardens. If I bring something with meaning to him. 

For some time, I linger over his possessions, his clothing and magical relics, comforted by his smoky scent. But it’s the strangest thing. I try to feel it out, but none of Asra’s things carry even a trace of his sparkling magic. What does he do? Hide away everything that means something to him? 

“Hear ye, hear ye! Everybody gather round! Hear ye, hear ye! You’re not gonna wanna miss this!” 

Portia’s bright, powerful voice ringing through a loudhorn shocks me to my feet. The announcement! Biting my lip in vexation, I abandon my venture and close up shop, headed for the city square. 

“Ahem! Hear ye, hear ye! This is an announcement from the palace of your Countess Nadia!” 

The square is densely packed with people, smaller folks and latecomers circling the perimeter for a better view. Senka and I join them, sliding carefully amongst the buzzing crowd. A pleasant smell I can’t place is wafting from nearby. 

“On the eve of the passing of your most glorified Count Lucio, the Countess will open the palace gates. That’s right, folks! All are invited not to mourn, but to celebrate the spirit of the dearly departed Count!” 

A ripple of loud excitement passes through the crowd. At its edge, I follow the familiar scent. Myrrh. The leather pouch, now in the folds of my clothing, comes to mind. And then I come upon a large figure, hulking in size. Their eyes are shadowed, under a hood and a heavy brow. Though the excitement in the square is growing, the figure looks more like a harbinger of despair. 

Portia’s voice continues to ring out across the square. “It’ll be a Masquerade like no other before! Spread the word, tell your friends! You won’t wanna miss this! 

As the crowd erupts in chatter, the massive stranger moves down a side street, escaping with the scent of myrrh. Without thinking, I follow them. The stranger’s lumbering pace is easy to match. I catch up halfway down the street. 

“Hey, where are you going?” I call out. 

They turn slowly as if they dread the sight of me. A voice like thunder rumbles from under the robes. “Blindly to the slaughter. Just like the rest of you.” 

I flinch minutely at the stranger’s answer. I don’t know what I was expecting, but it was not that. “What do you mean? Please… speak plainly.” 

“It doesn’t matter what I say. My words won’t last. They never do.” With a suffering look, the stranger disappears into the misty shadows of the afternoon alley. 

I head back toward the servants’ wagon, where Portia is tossing flower petals and rice onto the dancing cityfolk. 

“Aurex, there you are!” she exclaims with a bright smile. “You missed the big reveal! Would you look at this crowd?” I smile back and climb into the wagon next to her where she leans toward me to be heard over the crowd. “No incidents back at the shop, I hope? Nothing out of the ordinary?” Her smile has a shade of desperation as she bats her eyes pleadingly. 

The moment is lost. We’re jostled as the wagon lurches to life. Wild laughter follows us down streets ringing with news of the Masquerade. But my mind is lost elsewhere. 

++++

The ride back from the city is alive with talk. When we return to the palace, the bridge is lined with carriages. Portia informs me that the courtiers must have arrived. A shiver runs from my head to the base of my spine. 

She escorts me to a wing of the palace that smells strongly of incense and half a dozen perfumes. I know we’ve reached the parlor door by the music and cackling laughter inside. 

Noticing my nerves, Portia remembers to give me a comforting smile. “Don’t worry, Aurex. These people can’t wait to meet you.” 

Her words ground me. People… people, that’s all they are. 

The room is hazy, swimming with elegant plumes of smoke. Softly lit figures lay about on pillowy couches. As my escort, Portia had run me through the guest list for the evening debut. I try to put faces to their names. 

The Countess notices me first, glancing up from behind a gleaming pipe organ as she plays a victorious chord. 

Portia calls out into the room. “Announcing Aurex, friend of the palace and apprentice to Asra, the magician.” 

Countess Nadia smiles pleasantly. “Welcome, Aurex.” 

“This is Aurex?” One of the courtiers, Procurator Volta, asks. “Cuter than I imagined!” 

Praetor Vlastomil smiles brightly. “What a delightful surprise, we were all just talking about you!” 

“Sit, sit!” Pontifex Vulgora calls. “Sit right here beside me, Aurex! Don’t be shy!” 

The welcoming gestures take me by surprise. I hadn’t expected such enthusiasm. Eager, manicured hands draw me down onto the couches and into the fold of conversation. Energetic coos spill from their mouths as they notice Senka sitting at my feet. Tentative hands reach out to pet the jaguar who looks about as happy as I am to be the center of attention. 

The Countess watches from where she practices, drawing contemplative tones from the pipe organ. “Tell me, Aurex, how was the announcement received?” 

Before I can answer her, near simultaneous outbursts come from the courtiers. 

“One can only imagine! Even we, the favorites of the Countess, closest to her heart, had no idea!” Quaestor Valdemar says first, turning back to me. 

“That our dear Countess, who shares everything with us, could orchestrate such a surprise!” Procurator Volta practically finishes the last courtier’s thought. 

The Pontifex laughs after taking a sip of wine, “A surprise Masquerade! How lucky we are, not having to worry about planning for it!” 

“How lucky Aurex would have to be, to get a word in with you all. Goodness,” the Countess frowns. 

“Oh, but how lucky she already is! To be taken in by the Countess, an unproven, unknown apprentice!” the Praetor states. I almost frown at the statement, but stop myself; just because they don’t know me doesn’t mean I am _unknown_. 

“And to take such a, dare I say, chance?” Procurator Volta speaks over me, practically forgetting I am even there. “So very unlike our most thoughtful and meticulous Countess!” 

I can tell that this is going to get old fast. Everything about the courtiers is over the top, from their tone to their movements to their declarations of being the favorites of the Countess. It’s too much. If I escape this evening without a headache it will be a miracle. Senka looks to be in agreement as she sulks against my legs, hidden partially behind my skirt away from seeking hands. 

Countess Nadia thankfully interrupts their circuitous conversation from where she is seated at the organ. “Chance, you say? It was not chance that led me to Aurex’s door.” 

“Then perhaps the Countess might inform her adoring court how exactly it was that she arrived at the witch’s door that night,” a new voice says. A prim figure in steely gray robes rounds the couch and offers me a soft, pale hand, looking down a thin nose at me. Consul Valerius. Portia made special mention of him. The Countess minds him more than the others. “Or perhaps the witch might tell us herself.” 

Clearly, this man thinks calling me a witch will irritate me, but he is sadly mistaken. I _am_ a witch. I don’t hide it, nor do I shy away from it; there’s no reason to. Reaching out to stroke Senka’s fur, a clear reminder of the power I hold, I look directly into the Consul’s eyes refusing to be shamed and take his proffered hand. 

“Perhaps I might.” 

Pontifex Vulgora grips my forearm. “Go on then, Aurex! How did it go exactly? Please, spare us no detail!” 

“We’ve only heard the _gossippe.”_

“Did the Countess truly come to you in the dead of night, stumbling barefoot, tearing through the streets?” Quaestor Valdemar leans forward, eagerly awaiting my answer. 

What kind of rumors were these people hearing? “No, she just…” my brows knit together as I stare at him, “knocked on the door.” Like a normal person, I add mentally. 

That answer obviously satisfied precisely no one in the room based on the sighs around me. The Quaestor frowns. “Knocked on the door? Did she perhaps _pound_ on the door?” 

“Are you very sure she didn’t throw herself, weeping, upon the door? Please, my poor Countess, I must know if she was weeping!” Procurator Volta whimpers. 

It takes everything in me to keep my expression neutral. Do they think we live in a cheap novel? I personally couldn’t see the Countess do any of those things and I’d only known her a few days and they were supposedly her closest associates. “She wasn’t. But I knew that whoever it was, to come at such an hour must be in a desperate state.” 

My new companions gather closer to me as I spin the tale. Enraptured, they cling to my every word. When my recollection is complete, the Countess ends her practice with an impressive trill. 

“You know, if you all wanted to so badly know how that night transpired, you might have simply asked.” Apparently deciding to tell her side of the story, Countess Nadia continues, “As it happens, I was having some trouble sleeping—” 

Procurator Volta nods eagerly, interrupting the Countess. “As you have been for some time, Countess!” 

Countess Nadia closes her eyes briefly. “Yes, Procurator. As I have been for some time, I was having trouble sleeping. On that night, I woke haunted by the specter of a dream, no escape for my mind. No comfort from my terrors, nor anyone to whom I could turn, who might understand them.” 

A forlorn look crosses her face that has the courtiers hanging on her words now, though I don’t think it’s there for their entertainment. 

“Indeed, I was in a desperate state, desperately seeking someone, anyone who may be of help to me. It was I who was lucky, to come across the one I needed so soon. A benevolent universe brought us together, did it not, Aurex?” Her glimmering red gaze falls fondly on me, and the courtiers shift, studying me with new intensity. I start to sweat. 

The moment is broken by an airy sigh as the Consul draped in gray peers at me through his wine. 

“Oh, it pains us, Countess, to know that you felt you must look elsewhere for an ear to confide upon.” The other courtiers seem to be in agreement, faces drawn with sympathy. “We may seem frivolous to you, but should you deem us worthy of your trust, our hearts are as open as a book!” 

He throws his arms wide with a flourish, knocking a pitcher of fragrant wine over and across the front of my garments. Senka jumps up with a shocked yowl as the liquid spills over her in addition to the pitcher hitting her as it clatters to the floor. A collective gasp sweeps through the room as I feel the heady liquid seeping into my skin. The Countess’ expression as she strikes a sour chord and rises from the organ is murderous. 

The Consul feigns remorse with a sickly-sweet smile. “Oh, my apologies, how clumsy of me! Surely a witch as skilled as you knows some hocus or pocus to remedy this dilemma?” 

Oh, I know some “hocus” or “pocus” all right, just nothing that he’d like to experience though. I don’t even bother to hide my scorn for the man. He may have the other courtiers fooled, but I can know a snake when I see one. 

“Enough, Valerius,” Countess Nadia’s voice commands. “You have exhausted my patience for tonight. All of you, out. To your chambers. I would appreciate if you could make it there without spilling, but I won’t count on it.” 

Tiptoeing around the splattered forms of Senka and myself, the courtiers file sheepishly out the door. I remain with the Countess because her hand is resting lightly on my shoulder. 

“I am sorry, Aurex. I had imagined many outcomes to this evening’s affair. I must admit that this was one of them.” A frown curls the Countess’ lips as she takes in my wine-soaked clothing and wet familiar. “We must rid you of these ruined clothes, of course… tsk, such pettiness.” She shakes her head. “But I have taken enough liberties with your wardrobe. So please, do not hesitate. Tell me what you would like.” 

Portia stands at the ready as the Countess folds her hands, awaiting my request. 

The fury I felt toward the Consul resides, replaced with exhaustion at having dealt with the courtiers as I attempt to soak up some of the wine soaking Senka’s fur with the skirt of my dress, she can’t just lick the alcohol off of herself. The clothes the Countess has provided for me have been beautiful, but I just want something familiar at the moment. “My old clothes, please.” 

Portia smiles. “Ah, I thought you might say that.” 

Countess Nadia seems slightly displeased, but not surprised. “I suppose you would. You shall have your old clothes, Aurex. I regret if this comes to a surprise, but your comfort here is of great importance to me.” I nod and the Countess’ frown turns to a slight smile. “Portia will escort you to your chambers. You will be bathed, and your garments returned. I believe you will find them much as you left them.” 

Portia leads me to the door as the Countess resumes her practice at the pipe organ. 

“Oh, and Aurex,” her voice calls from behind me. “You are my guest of honor. You could be more selfish, if you like.” 

The cooing tones of the organ echo down the hall as I’m led away lilting under the Countess’ graceful hands. I can’t help but feeling a little as though I’ve been sent like a child to bed. 

++++

When Senka and I have been bathed and returned to my guest quarters, a parcel is waiting for me by the window. There is a tightly spiraled note perched on top, addressed to me, from the Countess. 

_A gift for my dear guest, this emerald which seemed to call your name. Wear it in good health. I read. And Aurex, you may call me Nadia._

Even in writing, I can feel the Countess… Nadia’s gaze, ever penetrating, ever contemplating deeper. The fluid chain slips through my fingers as I hold the jewel, and in a gradual wave, I start to recognize its energy. Am I mistaken? No, I know the feeling too well. It is Asra’s magic, radiating from the gem in gentle, soothing ripples. 

I remember my desperate search in the back room, looking for connections to him and coming up short. To come upon this brilliant jewel, alive with his energy… I’ll be able to do it. I have my chance. 

++++

I lie in wait until the halls are quiet, midnight, perhaps, before I steal out of my room, Senka staying behind after the earlier events. The poor girl has had enough today it seems, not even seeing Asra made her want to leave the room. With the emerald hanging from my neck, I’m enveloped in a dreamy calm. The thought of hearing Asra’s voice again… I dash through the halls and out onto the veranda. 

Humid wind pulls and swells against me, moving languidly through the garden, carrying the babble of night birds. For the first time, the sight of the maze ahead excites me. I know the way now. 

When I reach the fountain under the weeping willow tree, someone familiar is hanging from its branches. 

“Faust!” I whisper. Did she know I was coming? Or could this be where she keeps slithering off to? 

Her weight drops eagerly to my shoulders, sleek body giving me a friendly squeeze. She takes immediate interest in the emerald, tongue flicking after it as I lift the pendant from my neck. I close my eyes, take a deep, even breath, holding the jewel over the water and drop it. Light catches every glimmering, green face as it sinks to the bottom of the pool. 

Faust rolls herself along my shoulders as the water starts to change, colors blooming, shapes unfolding. 

“You’re back.” Asra’s image swims into view. Tall palms sway rhythmically behind him against a glittering sea of stars. His hair catches starlight in every whorl. “I saw the water changing this time.” 

His attention drifts toward his familiar. “Faust, you’re looking lively. Being around Aurex does that to you, doesn’t it?” His bright, smiling eyes twinkle as he lays his chin on his palm, gazing at me. 

Sitting on the short wall surrounding the pool, I slip off my shoes and swing my feet over and let them hang off the edge without touching the water. Faust slithers down my chest to lay across my lap once I’m settled. “Where are you?” 

He looks across his shoulder at the sparkling, swirling galaxies overhead. His smile is relaxed. “A place inside of me. Who would have thought you’d be able to reach me here?” A strange expression crosses his face when he turns to face me once more. “Your magic is inescapable. I think you’ll be able to follow me all the way.” 

“All the way…” I tilt my head, confused, “to where?” 

Asra sighs quietly. “You’ll know when we get there.” 

Faust bobs from side to side in anticipation. I place a hand on her back not wanting her to fall in the water. She clearly knows what he’s talking about; at least one of us knows what’s going on. His answer wasn’t exactly _unhelpful_ , but it wasn’t helpful either. Though it is a little amusing that he has admitted we are on this journey now and not just him. Poor Asra. 

I turn back to Asra, laughing quietly and smoothing a hand down Faust’s scales, to find him watching us with a smile. 

“You two have definitely gotten closer. She’s opening up to you.” His grin fades some, becoming a little more thoughtful. “It may be time for me to do the same.” 

I nearly choke. My face must be a sight because it makes him laugh, high and unrestrained. 

“No, really. It’s true. I want to start being more honest with you. What’s on your mind? Ask me whatever you like. All that _I_ ask is that you start being more honest with me, too.” His gentle gaze washes over me, bringing me calm. But I have a few burning questions. 

My mind wanders to the encounter with my repeat trespasser. “Who is Julian to you?” I’ve seen the depth of emotion that crosses the doctor’s face when he speaks of Asra. For someone who had a key to my house, I’d never heard Asra mention him. 

“Julian?” Confusion crosses Asra’s face before recognition hits and is replaced with a hateful glare. “Ah, yes, he goes by that name, too. I knew him by another. He was a… friend, once.” He rubs his hands together uneasily. “Then more. And then something else... Something that I had to get away from. Who is Julian to me… who is he to anyone? Whoever he needs to be, to get what he wants.” 

He ducks his head briefly and almost mutters to himself. “To think he would come for me, after all that… let’s leave it at this.” Meeting my eyes, Asra sneers, “He’s a hack physician with a lot to learn. Until he does, nothing good will come of him.” 

With a deep sigh and a shake of his head, Asra clears the heavy mood. He smiles. “So that’s what you wanted to know? That wasn’t so bad.” Only he would expect someone to ask invasive questions right off the bat. “Or…” he draws out the word teasingly, “is there, perhaps, something else on your mind?” His twinkling eyes search mine with wordless depth. 

The sensation of the little returned key digging into my hand flits through my head and I look down as if it was still there. I accepted long ago that Asra has his secrets and has no obligation to tell me everything, but I would have thought that he would at least discussed giving a key to his lover with me first instead of doing it behind my back. Maybe we aren’t as close as I think we are. 

I lift my gaze to meet Asra’s. “Who am I to you?” 

Asra’s soft eyes go wide and his lips part. For a moment he looks confused, almost hurt. He sighs, folds his hands in his lap, and leans forward to look me square in the face. He almost looks afraid. 

“Who are you to me? I hope you’re ready to know. I’m glad you asked, it’s been so hard to keep from you.” Oblivious to my stuttering heart, he lets out a quiet laugh and shakes his head. “You’re… not a student to me. You never have been. I’ve guided you, but you…” His eyes fly away from my face and he rubs his neck briefly. “You’ve helped me grow. I’ve learned just as much from you as you from me.” 

Something like disappointment floods my veins. That was hardly a surprising revelation. We are friends after all. Surely, that wasn’t difficult to admit to me. No, he’s dragging his feet, probably hoping I’ll just let the subject go so he won’t have to tell me what he’s really been keeping hidden; the inability to meet my eyes when I try to catch his gaze makes that clear. 

Concealing the traitorous flames of hope licking through my chest, I ask quietly “But is that all?” 

He peers up at me through swaying curls. “Nowhere close. Do you want it all?” he asks with a smile, but there’s something guarded lurking in his eyes. 

I nod without even thinking. He seems to hesitate, and then he closes his eyes. I draw back from the pool as it starts to gently churn, glowing brighter. Glistening, Asra’s image emerges from the water before me. His form shivers and gleams, more like a bubble than a solid being. But it’s him. It’s as if he’s standing in the pool, but if I were to touch him, the magic holding him there would burst and scatter. 

Asra tilts his head slightly. “Huh. We’re no closer than before, but it’s better this way.” Apprehension flashes across his features before he ducks his head, hiding behind his hair. “You wanted to know it all. So, I’ll tell you properly… How deeply, how completely I have come to care for you.” 

My hand flies to my mouth, a quiet gasp bringing Asra’s attention back to me. He couldn’t actually be saying what I think he’s saying. 

“I… didn’t think I could feel this way. I even tried to deny it.” Asra’s eyes rove over my face, smiling brilliantly, happily, though there is still the barest hint of sorrow. “How could I deny it, when my chest is so light, when I can do anything if I’m with you? Every day, my love for you grows. Brighter and brighter, until it consumes me. Sometimes, I’m afraid you can see it and I have to escape, to hide from you.” 

That’s why he leaves so much? Foolish tears prickle my eyes and I squeeze them shut to stem their flow. How could we have been so dense? We’ve spent who knows how long hiding our feelings when one of us could have just spoken up. So much time wasted. If my heart didn’t feel like it was going to beat right out my chest I would laugh over how silly we’ve been, tiptoeing around each other when it wasn’t even necessary. 

Opening my eyes, I find that Asra has moved closer, standing next to the little wall that surrounds the fountain. Tremulous moonlight imagines hands, just shy of cradling my head. 

“I don’t want to hide anymore. I don’t want to keep secrets from you. I want you to know. I want you to remember.” 

My face crumples into confusion. Remember? Remember what? 

The perfect recreation of his face draws closer to mine until there is no distance. Asra frowns. “That’s why it’s so hard…” he hesitates for the briefest of seconds, “to make you forget.” 

I feel, if only in my mind, his lips against my forehead. Then, only a cool mist. White smoke fills my mind, concealing my questions, concealing my thoughts. As droplets settle onto my skin, I feel a sense of returning to myself. 

Glancing down at the pool, Asra’s image is gone from the water. Huh. I must have overused my magic. Faust watches me curiously, curled on the edge of the pool, as I rise to my feet. 

“C’mon, Faust. I know. We’ll see him again soon.” Faust just continues to stare at me blankly. “Are you coming? Senka will be pacing the room if I take too long getting back, you know? Do you want to deal with her when she’s anxious? Because I don’t.” With a shake of my head, I gather the serpent into my arms and head back inside. The ache of longing is heavy in my chest, though I’m not quite sure why. 

++++

Aurex never noticed that her interaction with her master was being watched. Hidden off to the side, Portia stands wide-eyed. “Well, that was… romantic,” she says to herself. “I think I’ll keep this secret. For now.” 


	8. The Lovers

I open my eyes to morning sunlight streaming relentlessly through the swaying tendrils of a willow tree. That’s right. This morning at breakfast, Portia informed me I had the day off. Something about Countess… er, Nadia’s headaches. With no tasks on my mind, I had settled against an overgrown willow in the garden to rest. 

_“Worried,”_ something whispers. 

I sit upright and look around for the source, but no one is around. I glance back at Senka, but she is still dozing contently as if nothing was going on. Surely, she would have heard if someone had said something. But I swear I just heard a voice. Small and faint, like an echo from far away. 

_“Worried!”_

There it is again! Louder this time, though, and followed by the familiar sound of sliding scales. Glancing up, I find the serpent responsible. Faust hangs upside down from a low branch above me, swaying gently like a vine in the light breeze. 

“Faust? Is… is that you?” I ask hesitantly. She’s the only other creature around with the exception of Senka and me, but there’s no way she could be speaking to me. It’s not possible. 

_“Worried!!”_ Her voice is stronger, more insistent now that she knows I’m listening. Limited communication is possible between magician and familiar, it happens all the time between Senka and me, and Asra and Faust talk often, but Faust isn’t my familiar. I shouldn’t be able to speak with her… yet I am. 

Deciding to just go with… whatever this is, I nod up at her with a slight frown. “I’m worried too, Faust. I wish I knew where he went.” 

Faust drops lightly from the tree onto my lap and then slithers onto the grass in front of me. A strong feeling of trust radiates from Faust and spreads through my body, filling me with warmth. 

“I’m glad I’m not alone,” I whisper to her. Somehow, I think Faust feels the same way. 

Mild annoyance quickly overlaps the trust. Senka. Turning around, I find her glaring at me. Ah, she’s upset that I mentioned being alone when she’s right there. 

“Oh, don’t worry, I’m never alone when you’re around,” I tease her, falling back to lean against her belly and scratching her cheek, “Of course you were included in that.” If I try hard enough, I can almost _feel_ Senka rolling her eyes. But the irritation evaporates, fondness replacing it, as she leans into my hand. All is forgiven then. 

I settle more comfortably against her and close my eyes. As I clear my mind of tumultuous distractions, the lively sounds of the garden fill my ears. It’s peaceful here. It feels like Asra could be here beside me, napping in the sun. 

_“Tree.”_ Faust wiggles insistently in front of me, slithering around to the back of the willow. When I follow her, I see she’s swaying and staring insistently at a certain spot on the tree. I bend down to get a better look and then stumble backwards in shock. This can’t be. It doesn’t make sense. Carved deep into the bark of the willow is a single name, stark and permanent. 

Aurex. 

Trembling, I trace the rough grooves, fingertips recognizing the feel of the magic laid over it. Asra. When would he have time to do this? It looks years old, but Asra and I have only known each other for a few years. Or so I’ve been led to believe. 

A soft thunk shakes me from my shocked daze. _“Asra,”_ Faust says. Her tail wraps around my hand as she leans forward, staring into my eyes. The world fades away and then… 

Asra?! I try to open my mouth, but can’t summon my voice. I feel small, constricted. He leans down and scoops me up. 

_“Where have you been all day, hm? Not squeezing certain doctors…?”_ he asks with a smile. He’s standing next to the willow tree, but something isn’t quite right. 

Faust answers enthusiastically, _“Fun!”_

_“Ah, well. I suppose I can’t blame you for that, Faust,”_ Asra laughs, _“He doesn’t make it hard. Then again, he certainly isn’t making it easy, either.”_ A scowl passes over his features, then it’s gone just like that and the smile returns. _“Don’t have too much fun with him, alright? He’ll start to think you like him.”_

What is this? I feel as if I am here with Asra, and yet not. Like I’m viewing it from a distant point. Or like… it’s a memory. 

_“Ilya’s started to think I like him. But you and I know who my heart belongs with.”_ Anguish crumples his face as his eyes grow distant. _“There’s someone else on my mind. Her name keeps falling from my lips like a spell and every day spent away from her makes the longing worse. To not hear her voice calling my name…”_

Asra appears to move past the grief, if only a little, and his gaze refocuses on his familiar. _“You miss her too, don’t you? Or at least her expert chin scritches.”_ There’s a smile on his lips, but it doesn’t entirely banish his previous sorrow. 

Faust squeezes around her master’s arm and asks, _“Where?”_

_“To a place I can’t follow, yet.”_ He runs a hand down the snake’s back. _“Don’t worry, Faust. We’re getting close.”_

Out of nowhere, someone yells out Asra’s name and whoever it is makes him scowl. _“Ugh.”_

A figure calls down to us, leaning over the sill of the library window with a grin on his face. Julian. _“Taking another nap, hm? While you were away dreaming under your beloved tree, I made a breakthrough. If you don’t hurry up here, I’m going to cure the whole city without you.”_

_“I highly doubt that,”_ Asra nods noncommittally before returning his gaze to his arms, _“Let’s go, Faust.”_

Asra turns his back on the window and walks deeper into the garden as darkness swallows me again. 

What… what was that? A vision of the past, surely, but how? I realize I’m lying on my back, staring up into the leaves of the willow. Senka chuffs a greeting from where she lays against my stomach as she notices I am back to myself but doesn’t seem overly worried. I wish I felt as unruffled as her. Everything I just saw made so little sense to me. The carving… I had never met anyone else with my name, so it had to be me that Asra was talking about in the vision Faust showed me. But how could he say those things when we haven’t known each other that long? Why can’t I—? 

I groan, covering my face with an arm. If I don’t stop this line of thinking I’m going to give myself a headache. 

As I sit up, I’m suddenly filled with an urge not my own, pulling me towards the library. Unlike the seductive thrall of a dreamlike memory, this feeling is friendly. Helpful. Faust. 

“Is there something in the library I should see?” I ask, looking over at the snake beside me. 

_“Help.”_

I glance to the fountain where I’ve met Asra so many nights, conflicted. It only seems to work at night, but… No, I shouldn’t waste my energy on hopeless ventures. I resolve to return tonight for answers instead. I need time to think about what I saw first. 

With a determined nod, I turn back to the snake. “Alright, Faust. Let’s go to the library.” Maybe I’ll get some answers to these questions swirling in my head. About Asra… and about how I fit into all this. Senka is already dashing ahead of us as I scoop Faust up into my arms and head back into the palace. 

++++

The library door looms over me and I realize that I don’t have any of the keys. Portia hasn’t been around all morning… there’s no one to let me in. Frustrated, I press my hand to the elaborately wrought vines, urging the door open through sheer force of will. The first locking mechanism releases, then the second… and then nothing. I’m locked out. 

I pull my hand back with a gasp. I’d feel bad about almost breaking in if I weren’t so impressed with myself for getting that far. “How am I supposed to enter now?” I sigh. I suppose I could hunt down Portia, but who knows how long that’ll take. She could be anywhere on the grounds. 

As if summoned by my thoughts of her, Portia’s voice calls out from behind me. “Aurex! Fancy seeing you here! Whatcha doing?” She leans forward, peering at the door, and then looks at me in surprise and admiration. 

“Did you unlock those two? Milady designed this door herself, yanno, it should be pretty hard to magic open. But here you are, nearly breaking the whole thing down.” She wiggles her fingers like she’s imitating my magic, and then gets a glint in her eye. “I guess milady’s got a real eye for talent, huh? I knew you were good, but to really see it is something else.” 

Glancing back at the door, I apparently shouldn’t have been able to unlock at all, let alone get through two so quickly, I nod. “I guess it is impressive.” 

“Of course, it is!” Portia scoffs. When I turn back to her, the glint in her eye has grown mischievous. “So, what else can ya do, hm? Can you explode things? Make me disappear? Ooh, make me disappear and then explode me?” 

“Yes, to exploding things.” I conjure a wisp of flame and make it dance between my fingers, flashing a grin at Portia. It’s no explosion, but fire manipulation happens to be my specialty, so I couldn’t resist showing it off. “But exploding you? Uh… Probably not.” Raising a brow at her, I tentatively ask, “Do I… do you want me to try and explode you?” 

“No, but it’d be pretty exciting if you could, dontcha think?” Portia winks. 

Exciting wouldn’t be quite the word I would use. Messy comes to mind. Dangerous is another. “I suppose…” 

Portia laughs and pats my arm. “I’m just teasing you, Aurex. I’ve seen you track a guard using a card and your own skill. You’ve got some real talent for magic. But you don’t need me telling you that.” She looks thoughtful for a moment before stepping around me, keys in hand. 

“You were trying to get into the library, right? Lemme open that for ya.” She sets to unlocking the mechanism, humming softly as she does. “Aaaand done. Whew, no wonder nobody ever goes in here, huh? Oh! Before I forget.” 

She rustles around in her apron and then pulls out something glimmering and green… The emerald necklace Nadia gifted me. When did she…? 

“You must have dropped it last night. You know, when you were at the fountain?” She gives me a strange look before continuing. “But I fished it out for you! Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone you dropped it.” 

She holds it out to me and then hesitates, pulling it back. “So about yesterday…” she frowns, “I’d really appreciate it if you didn’t mention what you saw to milady.” 

What I saw…? Ah. Portia must mean the conversation she had with Julian. Considering all the secrets I’m keeping from Nadia as well… It seems only fair. 

I nod, giving her a small smile. “Of course.” 

“Great! Well then, enjoy the library! Make sure to lock up when you’re done, ok?” Portia hands the necklace over to me and then leaves, a bounce in her step as she turns down another hallway. 

Taking a breath, I walk into the musty darkness, unprepared for what secrets the room beyond has to offer me. Dust and silence greet me as I enter the library. Motes float aimlessly in the pale sunlight. Tickles of warm, familiar magic lick against my skin, welcoming me further in. Asra. How did I not notice it before? Was I so preoccupied with investigating Julian’s desk that I missed it? 

_“Find,”_ Faust prompts me. 

“Do you think there’s something in here, Faust?” I run my eyes over the expanse of the library. Answers could be anywhere. 

_“Find.”_

Old lessons fill my mind, clearing away lingering doubts. If there is one thing I’ve learned about magic, it’s how little I truly know. Perhaps there are answers in here, hiding between disused pages. I feel magic settle around me, gently guiding me towards a shelf. Two books stand out from the rest. A big battered tome and an elegant purple codex. I can feel my master’s touch on each spine. But which one do I pick? 

I pull the heavy tome from its high shelf, staggering under its weight before lowering it to the nearby desk. Loneliness emanates from the neglected pages, escaping into the air like a withered groan as I open it. 

_“Friend.”_ Faust’s tail wraps around my hand once more, dropping me back into memory. 

_“Please don’t go. You’re walking right into his trap, Asra.”_ An incredibly large person shrouded in leathers is standing next to Asra in the shop. 

Asra shakes his head slightly. _“Mmm. There you go again with the pessimism. The palace has resources I need, Muriel.”_

_“And when he rips your heart out?”_ Muriel asks. 

_“He’ll have to get to me, first. He’s weak and dying. What could he do? Throw his medicine at me?”_ Asra looks back at his visitor. _“He was dangerous once, I know, but I can handle him, Muriel. Really.”_

The rumbling figure lifts one steady hand as if to touch Asra’s shoulder, hesitates, and drops it back to their side. Without a word, they turn and exit the shop, awkwardly squeezing through the too-small doorway. 

Asra watches them go with a frown. _“Sorry, Muriel. Some things you can’t run away from.”_

Another memory. Another vision of Asra’s past. I only wish I could hear them from Asra himself. “What else are you hiding from me?” My whisper echoes through in the silence only reminding me that there’s no one around to answer me. 

I pick up the other book that caught my attention, but nothing happens. 

A bookshelf in the far corner calls to me, beckoning me closer with little wisps of Asra’s magic. Two more books catch my attention, waiting for a decision to be made. The alluring volume seems more appealing than the gilded monstrosity, so I pluck it from the shelf. 

_“What about this one for you, then?”_ Asra lifts a cobalt dress with a deeply-plunging neckline and raises an eyebrow. Outside I can hear the sounds of the Masquerade, joyous cheers and the chatter of bustling crowds moving about. 

Wait… How am I seeing this? That’s Asra, and the one he’s speaking to… is me?! But it can’t be. It's as if I’m watching myself from someone else’s eyes. What’s happening? 

_“It’s your color,”_ Asra states. 

I watch past me roll her eyes lightheartedly, a smile curling her lips. _“You say that about every color.”_

_“I can’t help it, Aurex, you look radiant in everything.”_ Asra smiles at the fond look she gives before he tosses the dress down on the bed to pick up a new piece of clothing. _“Fine, what about this one?”_ Loud, gaudy patterns assault my eyes as he presents me with some sort of… rainbow cheetah print tunic? 

_“Asra!”_ Past Aurex’s brows raise to her hairline and her jaw drops as she stares at the tunic. _“Do you want me to blind people?”_

_“I’m already blinded by your beauty.”_

A stupid grin fights to take over Past Aurex’s face as she admonishes him. “Asra.” 

I don’t remember that. Asra and I have never attended the Masquerade together, of that much I’m certain. We didn’t even know each other when the city last celebrated it… did we? 

It was easier that time to drop into memory. I feel as if I’m starting to get used to the strange magic. Now, if only I could get used to what goes on in them. 

_“Here.”_ Faust slithers onto Julian’s desk and looks expectantly at me. She nudges her head against a final book, an oversized red tome covered in dust. I walk over to the desk and run my hand over its cover, revealing its title. _Composium on the Stupendencies of the Fabric of the Human Form._ It looks well-used and heavily annotated. When last I was here, the book held no magic. Now, it seems to whisper my name in the still air. 

Opening its pages sends another cloud of dust blowing upwards, obscuring my vision. I close my eyes just as I feel Faust’s tail around my wrist, and when I open them again… 

_“Hrmmm,”_ Julian mumbles from his desk in the library. _“No, that’s not quite right, is it? There must be something I’m missing… Asra?”_

Asra glances up from his nest of pillows on the floor, gives Julian a mildly interested look, and then goes back to his book. _“Mmhmm?”_

_“What do you think? If I try to mix the venom with this solution here, is it worth a shot? No… no, that will make poisonous vapors. Damn. Something else then, there has to be…”_ Julian trials off, leaning over to scribble something in the book. After a moment he sighs and leans back in his chair. 

_“I think I’ve got something… Come look at this, would you? I’m close, I can feel it. I could use your eyes.”_

Asra sighs and stands slowly, lazily stretching out his back before padding barefoot over to Julian’s desk. _“Alright, alright, I’m here— Hmmm, what’s that?”_ He leans over the desk to stare at the illustration in Julian’s book, brushing against Julian as he does. 

Julian’s cheeks immediately flush with color and he stutters out, _“Oh, I, uh- erm.”_ He clears his throat quickly and continues. _“Ahem. Here, just so. Look at this diagram. What do you think, will it work?”_

_“Ilya, if you wanted to show me your fantasies, you didn’t have to hide behind pretense,”_ Asra teases. 

_“W-what?”_ Julian’s blush returns full force as he stares wide-eyed at a grinning Asra. _“No, that’s not what I- It’s a medical illustration!”_

Asra nods, obviously pleased at Julian’s reaction. _“Hmmm… so it is. Blood ritual?”_

Taking the opportunity to move past Asra’s teasing, Julian shakes his head. _“Er, well, no. Not exactly. It’s a transfusion, see?”_ His fingers trace across the page’s illustrations. _“You use this apparatus here- Of course, there’s no telling if it will work. Or how safe it is… Or if it’s even possible… damn. No, that won’t work, then… What about bile?”_

The doctor rattles on as if Asra isn’t even there so he starts walking away from Julian’s desk with a prolonged, mumbled agreement. 

_“You—”_ Julian begins to look up and then notices Asra has already walked away, _“where are you going? There’s more work to do, you know. You can’t expect to cure the plague through napping.”_

_“It’s not all napping,”_ Asra jokes. _“Sometimes, I daydream instead.”_ Julian doesn’t look too amused and Asra drops the playful banter. _“I’m tired, Ilya. I need to get back to the shop before it gets dark. Besides, I don’t want to get in your way.”_

_“I’ll walk you home, then.”_ Julian stands from his chair and walks towards Asra. 

_“What, and interrupt your very important studies? I’ll be fine on my own, really,”_ Asra reassures him. 

_“If you keep slacking off like this, Asra. I… I won’t be able to protect you.”_ Julian presses forward, grabbing Asra’s wrist. Asra’s shoulders tense at the sudden touch and he scowls at the doctor. Undeterred, Julian takes another step closer, taking both of Asra’s hands in his own. A sigh from his lips ruffles Asra’s hair. 

Julian swallows, looking down at him. _“The Count wants his cure. He’ll die without it, and I’m worried he’ll take you with him. I don’t want you to die, Asra. Not if there’s something we can do to stop it. Together.”_

_“Goodnight, Ilya.”_ Asra pulls away with a note of finality and disappears out the door. 

The last words I hear before I’m pulled out of the memory are Julian’s, muttered to himself. 

_“Right… right. If he won’t listen to reason… I’ll just have to _make_ him listen.”_

What? Were they…? Asra said they were something more, but I didn’t see that made me think “more.” What exactly was the nature of their relationship? Whispers fill my mind, telling me I could have the answer. I could see their relationship for myself. I just need to ask. 

“Show me. I want to see who they were to each other,” I whisper, internally cursing my nosy ways the whole time. My magic answers the call, stretching to its limits. This time there is no Faust to guide my hand. 

Julian hesitates in front of the shop’s door, a hand hovering over his own mask. He takes a deep breath, and then removes it, squinting as his eyes adjust to the unfiltered lanterns. 

_“Right. You can do this,”_ he says to himself. _“You just need to go in, and… Make him see reason. Shouldn’t be too hard.”_ He swallows, glancing apprehensively up at the shop sign, and then storms through the door, coat whirling behind him. 

_“Asra, we need to talk! I— Oh. He’s, er. He's not here…”_ Julian’s shoulders slump as he deflates before he gathers himself and looks around the room properly. His eyes widen when he notices something strange in the shop. 

Even through the distant haze of memory, I can feel the thick magic in the air, hanging heavy in murky silence. Slick and oily, twisting through the shop like some untamed beast. Deep purple smoke trails from the backroom. 

_“What has he gotten himself into?”_ the doctor mutters. 

Asra wanders in from the back room. _“Oh, Ilya. Hmm, what are you doing here? I said I was fine walking home on my own.”_

_“Asra! Are you—”_ Julian starts coughing, knees wobbling as the miasmic energy presses down on him. _“Are you fooling around with that hocus pocus of yours? The Count wants results, not magic tricks—”_

Julian stumbles and finally drops to his knees under the weight, hands trembling at the oppressive energy. _“What_ is _this? What- what are you doing?”_

_“Can’t you tell?”_ Amused interest dances in Asra’s eyes as he looks down at Julian. He tilts his head to the side, observing. He casually slides a hand into thick red hair and pulls Julian’s head back to look him in the eyes. _“Just a magic trick.”_

Shivers roll down Julian’s body. A soft noise escapes his parted lips. _“S-something from one of those ridiculous tomes?”_

Asra nods slowly. _“Something from one of those ridiculous tomes. If you’d like to help, I’m sure I could find a use for you.”_ Asra lowers his hand to Julian’s jaw, turning his head this way and that. Curiosity, or maybe something more, flits across his features. 

_“I—”_ Julian starts, color flooding his cheeks. _“Will this help? If I do this with you, will it… will it change anything?”_

Asra appraises him for a long moment before finally turning toward the backroom. _“I hope so.”_

Julian quickly scrambles to his feet, adjusting his rumpled coat, as Asra disappears into the back. _“Er- coming, I’m coming!”_

The backroom looks almost unrecognizable. It’s clear Asra is using it as his own research facility. Strange herbs and apparatuses litter every surface of the room. A bizarre skull in the corner gives off unsettling energy. 

Asra gestures to a softly glowing magic circle drawn on the backroom table and meets Julian’s eyes. _“Blood. Bone. Sweat and tears. All sorts of things make powerful catalysts for these spells. I wonder… how much are you willing to give up, Ilya?”_

_“I- uhm, well, that is to say- you know—”_ Julian swallows, still straining under the heavy energy that fills the room. He bites his lip, looking eagerly at Asra. _“I’ll give you all of me if that’s what it takes.”_

_“All of you? Oh, Ilya… For now, I just need your hand.”_

Julian extends his arm without hesitation, so fast he nearly knocks over a nearby bottle. Asra traces his lifeline with a light touch and then picks up an ornate ceremonial dagger. He cuts into Julian’s palm. Blood trickles down onto the table, lighting up the circle for a moment before fading away. 

_“Is, er. Is that it…?”_ Julian asks. 

Asra laughs, a soft murmur of surprise escaping his lips as he glances up at Julian. _“Did you want me to hurt you more?”_ He doesn’t even bother waiting for Julian to answer. _“That’s all I need from you, Ilya.”_

A scowl overtakes the doctor’s face. _“Now hold on, I- What kind of magic are you getting yourself into, Asra? What did that do?”_

_“Hmm…”_ Asra shrugs, _“I’m not sure. I won’t know what until it happens. Perhaps nothing, perhaps…”_

Julian snarls, _“Are you putting yourself in dange—”_

He is interrupted as Asra lifts Julian’s bloodied hand to his lips, running his tongue along the cut as he meets his eyes. 

_“You’re talking too much, Ilya.”_

All the fury and unanswered questions slip off of Julian’s face, something more heated replacing it. _“Th-then just tell me what to do instead.”_

_“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”_ Asra presses forward, meets no resistance, and pushes Julian back against the wall. 

_“Y-you- Oh my god, yes, I’ll do anything you want, anything at all, whatever you need—”_

_“You know I can’t give you everything you want, Ilya,”_ Asra states. 

Julian slides down to his knees, gazing up at Asra with hunger in his eyes. _“I’ll take what I can get.”_

Asra laughs, hand sliding roughly into Julian’s hair to pull, and leans down… and I’m thrown back to the present. 

Faust looks up from her position on the desk, curiosity burning in her eyes. Does she know what I just saw? No. She couldn’t. _I_ barely know what I saw. What started out as snooping into Asra’s past relationship with Julian led to wondering what Asra was getting himself into. I’ve never seen him perform any type of magic remotely like that before. What was he trying to accomplish? Did it even work? 

Sighing, I run a hand across my forehead. If anything, all of these memories have only given me more questions and few answers. But there is one person who could help clarify them; I only have to ask him. 

I gather myself up and glance out the window. Late afternoon light fades to dusk as the sun sets on the distant horizon, casting the library in long shadows. It’s nearly night now. Down in the garden fountain, Asra could be waiting for me. I spare one last glance to the library and then lock the door once more, heading towards the sound of babbling water. 

++++

Crickets buzz with anticipation in the cool night as I approach the garden fountain. Questions fill my mind. I feel like the more I know, the less I understand. I can only hope my master will help. Settling on the lip of the fountain, I gaze down into the placid water and pull the emerald necklace from my pocket. I hold it above the surface, prepared to drop it into the pool once more. But the water distorts before I can, and another face replaces my reflection. 

“Master!” I gasp, something flashes across Asra’s face before he hides it. I hadn’t expected him to show up so fast. 

“Did you call me, Auri? I was just thinking about you.” He leans back, running a hand through his wet hair, and smiles at me. Water droplets trail slowly down his lips. “Have you been busy today? Faust looks like she’s been put through her paces.” 

I glance down to where Faust has curled up on the lip of the fountain, head hidden under her body. That reminds me. There are a lot of things I still don’t understand about what Faust showed me today. 

“Ahhhh,” Asra drawls teasingly, “I recognize that look. Am I in trouble?” 

Sensing my inner turmoil, Senka jumps up beside me and rubs her head against my shoulder, comforting sensations emanating from her. I reach out and run my hand over her silky fur to ground myself. “No, you’re not in trouble. But… I have some questions.” 

Asra notices Senka’s behavior, no doubt recognizing it, and frowns slightly when he looks back at me. “Hmmm. What did you want to ask me?” 

He looks at me curiously, waiting for my first question, but I’m not sure where to start. There’s the tree. There’s what I saw in the library. And the strange ache in my chest that knows no reason. The pull that draws me to Asra, even when I’m looking for something else. 

“You’re looking very serious right now, Aurex. These must be important questions.” 

I fidget briefly, fingers gripping at Senka’s nape. “They are. I’m just not sure where to start.” 

“Why not start at the beginning?” Asra smiles reassuringly at me. The beginning… It’s as good a place as any. It did start this whole mess. 

“There’s a tree,” I glance up at the branches overhead, “It’s the tree right by this fountain. The big willow, that you can see even from the library.” 

“Oh, I remember this tree. I used to nap under it for hours, dreaming…” He frowns, and shakes his head, then leans forward to gaze at me once more. “Why do you ask?” 

“It… has my name carved into it.” 

“It does?” Shock overtakes Asra’s face before he winces. “It does. I’d forgotten about the name… I was so lost in those days.” 

Fighting the urge to cry, I whisper quietly, “Did I forget, too?” 

We haven’t talked about this. The gaping chasm of darkness in place of my past. For as long as I can remember, which isn’t very far back, I’ve known there was something missing. My first memories are of meeting Asra and beyond that… hazy fog. Every time I try to remember, sharp headaches overtake me. Asra has taught me how to calm myself. But he’s also always told me not to try and remember. 

“Aurex… If I told you, and it hurt you—” His voice is heavy with fear as he glances away. “What if I can’t fix it, this time? What if something goes wrong? I don’t know if I can answer these questions on my own. What a conundrum.” 

“Asra?” 

“I think… you’re ready now. You’ve likely been ready for a lot longer than I have.” Asra nods to himself and then looks me in the eyes with a gaze that pierces through the water between us. “This would be easier to talk about in person, don’t you think?” 

What does that mean? Will I have to wait until Asra returns to the shop? Before I can ask, he holds his hand out to me, as if we weren’t separated by the fountain. 

“Aurex,” he smiles, “take my hand.” 

I stare down at the water in confusion. What does he mean, take his hand? I don’t know if I can. 

“Trust me, you’re ready, I promise you can do this. Just... reach out and take it.” Asra awaits me in the fountain with his arm outstretched, a smile playing across his lips and something like wonder and confidence in his eyes, an unshakable belief in me that urges me forward. 

Senka slides out of the way as I reach out, fingers running through the chilled water… then a warm hand grips mine and I’m pulled down into darkness. Arms encircle me as I’m tugged out of the water, stumbling forward into Asra’s chest. He hugs me fully, resting his chin on my shoulder and letting out a soft puff of air. For a moment we both stand there, frozen in time and then Asra pulls back a little, color dancing on his cheeks. 

“It’s good to see you. I missed you.” Asra clears his throat and moves a few steps backwards, though still lingering on the edge of my space. 

Now that I can look around properly, I’m not sure I believe my eyes. Colors swirl and chase each other in the air, hazy reflections dancing endlessly through undulating mist. The lights bounce off bizarre, perpetually shifting plants that seem to stretch and shrink at the same time. 

I turn back to Asra with wide eyes and find him already looking at me. “Where are we?” I ask breathlessly. 

“It’s a gateway, from one world into the next. It doesn’t really exist. But you found me here, anyway. Does it call to you, I wonder?” Asra walks to the edge of the water, turning back to look at me, and holds out his hand once more. My feet move on their own, bringing me into his orbit. I follow him, twining our fingers together. 

“There’s so many things I could show you here… or things this place could show us. I wonder what it has in store for us?” A content smile curls his lips as he leans slightly toward me. “Just keep close to me, Aurex. We wouldn’t want you getting lost.” 

Asra winks at me and then takes a step out into the water. Instead of sinking down into it, the surface of the water turns glassy, shimmering but holding his weight. He grins and tugs me onto the water, too. I wobble a little and regain my balance. Below us, suddenly the pool seems to have fathomless depth. Strange, luminescent shapes swarm under our feet, lighting up as we take slow steps. In the sky, stars echo the beating rhythm. 

A thoughtful hum from Asra draws my attention from the water back to him. “Alright. Let’s try this then. But if you start getting a headache, I need you to tell me. We should be careful.” 

“Why?” 

“Because if you force the memories too much, you’ll hurt yourself. Maybe beyond repair.” Asra’s fingers squeeze mine a little tighter as we walk further into the oasis. 

Out of the corner of my eye, I see a shadow lingering in the lush foliage, but when I turn to look at it… There’s nothing there. 

“I thought this place might have those answers. A place where reality isn’t reality… There’s so much to learn here.” Asra lets out a long sigh and stops, turning to face me. His hands slide up my arms, resting at the elbows as he pulls closer. “But there’s danger too. We need to tread carefully. Especially if we’re going to try and get those memories back. If that’s something you want…?” 

Hesitancy is clear in his question like he’s hoping I will let this go for now. His fear of me getting hurt is overshadowing his belief that I could be ready. But if there’s a chance that I could get my memories back how could I let that slip by? Almost anything is better than the over two-decade void where my memories, my _life_ , should be. 

“Of course, I do. But something doesn’t add up.” 

Asra turns to look at me, eyebrows knit together as he searches my face for something. He must see it because he nods to himself. “What doesn’t, Aurex?” 

My fingers twist into the edge of the scarf around Asra’s torso. “Why wouldn’t you tell me this sooner? Why wait until now? Why wait until I’ve backed you into a corner?” 

“Maybe I tried to tell you, already,” he frowns. “And maybe I discovered I’d made the worst kind of mistake.” 

“Did you?” 

He takes a moment before answering. “Yes. A few times.” Asra bends down to dip his hand in the water, passing through the thin barrier without effort. A few fish come to get him, wiggling in excitement and glowing bright pink. He smiles, letting them investigate. But the smile fades as he begins to explain. 

“It’s a messy story, honestly. The first time I tried to trigger your memories, you went catatonic. There was nothing I could do… and I tried a lot.” 

The utter heartache in his voice prompts me to place a hand on his shoulder. He relaxes slightly under my touch, before he sighs, pulling his hand out of the water, and drops to sit, limbs sprawled out in front of him. He cranes his head up to the stars, watching them oscillate in endless color, and then speaks again. 

“So, I took the memories away. Whatever triggered the cascade. And you went back to normal.” Asra drops his gaze away from the stars and cautiously admits, “Aaaand then I tried again. It was so hard, keeping secrets from you. I just wanted you to know.” 

Asra’s eyes aren’t entirely focused on the present and he looks as if he’s trying to hold back tears. “But it broke you again. Every time I tried telling you a different way and every time it went wrong. I didn’t know what I was doing wrong. Maybe you just weren’t ready? Or maybe I wasn’t strong enough to do it alone. 

“But now you are.” His gaze focuses back on me with a smile. “Coming through the fountain to this oasis… if you can do that, you’re strong enough. Which… reminds me of something actually.” Asra gets up and wanders over to a wobbly purple bush at the edge of the water, trailing his fingers over its leaves. 

“It’s about you calling me master.” He glances back at me, something unreadable and intense in his expression. “Ugh. How do I put this? I hate it. I don’t want you to call me that anymore, ever.” 

I tilt my head quizzically as he walks back to where I stand. “But… why? You _are_ my master. You’ve taught me everything.” 

“I… ahh. How do I explain it? I only returned what was already yours, Aurex. Calling me master is beneath you.” Asra leans towards me, staring at me for a long moment before smiling. 

“I don’t know how much time we have left together, tonight, but I want to make the most of it. There’s a whole world to see out here, you know. If you wanted to explore it with me.” He clasps both of my hands in his own, excitement spreading to light up his whole face. “Well? What do you say?” 

He’s never offered to take me with him before. If I don’t say something now, I might lose my chance. “I want to go with you!” At Asra’s surprised expression, I wince. That sounded too eager, didn’t it? I practically blurted it out. 

Asra laughs softly and then gives me a warm, wide smile. “Then what are we waiting for? Ahh, I’m excited to see what we find. But first, let me take you to my favorite place.” 

We turn to the left and see a lush jungle that wasn’t there before, the world itself changing as much as the stars. Asra leads us into the foliage, ducking under oversized fronds and climbing over roots as we go deeper in. The whole time, Asra never lets go of my hand. He keeps glancing back at me as if happily surprised to see me still there. 

Soon the fronds and strange trees give way to a wide clearing filled with luminescent creatures. They titter as we arrive, swirling around us and bouncing in excitement. One lands on my nose, chirping at me. A delighted giggle slips past my lips as I practically go cross-eyed looking at the tiny creature. 

A responding laugh comes from Asra. “They must like you.” A few of the creatures land in Asra’s hair, settling into the fluff with contented chirps. 

I’m certain they like him more than me since they all flocked to him, or rather his hair. Not that I can blame them; his hair is ridiculously soft. “What do they like about me? Your hair is much nicer than mine.” 

He hums thoughtfully, violet eyes flicking over my face. “They must feel like they can tell you anything. I imagine they must feel very comfortable around you.” 

My breath catches in my chest. I… I don’t think he’s talking for the creatures. 

Asra lets go of my hands and settles down in the sand, sprawling his limbs out and immediately getting comfortable. He turns his head to look up at the stars, some distant wonder in his eyes. Above us, nebulous constellations shift and swirl. Then he turns to me, with that same look of wonder in his eyes. 

“Maybe you make them feel like they’re home.” Asra lifts his hand, and the creature still settled on my nose floats over, perching on one of his fingers. I drop down to sit next to him… and then slide a little closer, until our sides are pressed together. 

“There’s something about you that calls to them. Maybe they find they just can’t take their eyes off you.” His expression softens even more as he shrugs. “Or maybe they don’t know why. There’s a lot to like… How could they choose just one reason?” 

If there had been any doubt before that he wasn’t speaking for himself, it’s long gone now. I still have no idea what we used to be to one another, but I find I don’t much care at the moment. Not when everything that has transpired today has only revealed that my current feelings aren’t quite as one-sided as I once thought. If losing my memories has taught me anything, it’s that what is happening right _now_ is what matters. 

“Asra…” I say softly, leaning a little closer and meeting his eyes. Asra parts his lips, about to say something else, when a noise in the distance interrupts us. 

“Is that… thunder? That’s never happened before. You must have brought the rains with you, Aurex.” He looks eagerly to where the storm has gathered and gets to his feet once more. “Come on. I want to see it for myself.” 

He takes my hand and pulls me gently to my feet, brushing sand off of my clothes, and then leads us away. The oasis soon fades to thick jungle that muffles our footsteps, thunder echoing all around us. 

I turn my head to a growl at the edge of my hearing, startling a little when I see a path open up before me. I move to ask Asra and find he’s nowhere near. My hand feels empty and cold. Leaves rattle as a wind picks up further down the murky path, a thin wailing moan that seems to call my name. 

Something moves in the thick brush, a lurking shadow that beckons to me. _“Aurex…”_ Shadows lick at my heels, tempting me to move, to heed the call. I just need to take the first step… 

“Aurex!” Asra pulls me tight into his arms, ripping me from whatever compulsion gripped me. When I glance back, there’s nothing there. No darkness, no growling shadows. Just sand and sky. 

“Right… first thing about this place, Aurex,” Asra says. “It shouldn’t hurt you, as long as you’re careful. Going down a dark path. Next time, just turn away.” 

Easier said than done apparently, I hadn’t been given much choice in the matter. I slump against Asra’s chest, fingers gripping his arm loosely. What could have enthralled me so thoroughly? What else is here? 

Asra leaves one arm around me as he turns us both away, watching the sand out of the corner of his eye. “Come on… I don’t know how much longer the rain will last.” 

He stays closer to me now as we follow the sound of thunder, arm warm and comforting around my shoulders. We turn a corner in the jungle, and Asra stops suddenly with a sharp intake of breath, eyes wide. “Is this all… because of you?” 

The ground drops off into a steep cliff in front of us, covered in shimmering mist that coalesces further into the ravine. There’s the storm. It’s gathered in the deep chasm, black clouds streaked through with blue lightning. Water races up from the clouds as they cling to the rocky cliffs. The droplets dance in the sky, falling upwards in spirals. 

“I’ve never seen anything like this.” He reaches out to touch the rain, and the world shifts, clouds shooting up all around us. Completely drenching the both of us in rain as the storm rights itself. 

Laughter startles out of me as my hair and clothes cling to my skin. I wonder how Asra is feeling about the rain I possibly brought now that it completely soaked him. 

“Aurex…” 

He turns to me, free hand dropping to rest lightly on my waist. Water clings to his eyelashes, catching magenta starlight. Rain soaks his hair, trailing down his cheeks and catching on his lips. I can’t look away. I lean forward slowly until there’s almost no space left between us, meeting his eyes. There’s something cautious and hopeful in his expression. Neither of us dares to speak and break the moment. 

I press a hand to his chest, walking both of us back to the rough bark of a palm tree, and he goes willingly. The leaves above us grow to shelter us from the rain, the tree bending to protect us. And I kiss him like he’s the air I need to breathe. The whole world falls away until it’s just us until nothing else matters. 

Arms wrap around me as Asra surges forward, kissing back with an edge of desperation I didn’t expect. With his reciprocation, I wind my arms around his neck, bending into his embrace. Kisses trail down my face as he follows a path from my lips to my jaw. Is he… shaking? 

We both pull back for breath at the same time. “I—” he starts. 

The storm picks up around us, suddenly turning fierce. Wild winds whip at us, loud wails that drown out what Asra’s saying. He pulls us away from the tree, deeper into the shelter of the shadowy jungle. Long shadows grow around us, darkening the jungle further. The storm is stretching out past the ravine, calling insistently to us. 

“I think maybe it’s time for you to go,” Asra frowns. “This place… it can change on a whim. It’s not smart to stay any longer.” He reaches up and brushes his thumb along my jaw, hand lingering against my neck. 

“I’m happy you came, Aurex. Sharing this with you is an experience I’ll treasure.” Asra gazes at me for a moment more, something undeniably content in his features, before sighing. “I’ll send you home then… and I’ll see you soon.” 

“See me soon?” Before I can get an answer, Asra’s hand presses gently to my eyes, obscuring my vision. Reality wobbles, the air bending around me as I fall back into the trees. And sit up on the edge of the fountain with a gasp, heart beating wildly from the strange journey. Senka is already in top fussy form and giving me a thorough sniffing, the relief coming from her is practically palpable. 

Faust lifts her head up from her slumber and tilts it at me, blinking in confusion. _“Asra?”_

I frown, shrugging in the snake’s direction. “I don’t know, Faust.” 

_“Asra…”_ She slithers onto my wrist and curls up there, looking worried. I wish I could do something to ease her worry, I know it must be hard for her to be away from him. But there isn’t anything I can do besides hope Asra comes back to us soon. 

Standing from the fountain, I begin the walk back to my room, the image of Asra framed against a growing storm in my head. 


	9. The Chariot

I wake from a dreamless sleep to brisk knocking at my guest door. As I try to roll over, a heavy weight pressed against my back prevents me. I huff out a quick laugh, gotta love the benefits of sleeping in the same small bed as a cat that outweighs you. Wiggling underneath Senka to dislodge her, I sit up just as Portia opens the door. 

“Morning Aurex!” she greets cheerfully, and I mumble a sleepy reply back. “I hope you slept well, we have a lot to do today. The Countess is livid with herself for missing a day of preparations.” 

Movement, by the door over her head, catches my eye. My stomach drops. Inching along the doorframe is Faust, her tongue flicking wildly. I swallow and try not to stare. 

“It’s that headache of hers.” A questioning look crosses Portia’s face as she catches me glancing back at the doorframe. So much for trying not to stare. “Hey, what are you- Is there something behind me?” Before I can speak, she whirls around, gasping as Faust drops in shock to the floor and dashes out into the hallway. 

“Did you see that?” Portia asks, frantic and wide-eyed. “Did you see that snake? Tell me you saw that snake! Oh my god, what if it gets into the mousery?” Portia launches off down the hall with remarkable speed, and I’m hot on her heels, sweating already, and calling my familiar to follow. 

“Okay, which way did it go? Aurex, do you see it? I am not good with snakes, but there’s no way I’m gonna let it- Ah! There!” We’re just in time to see a wildly wriggling tail whip around at the end of the hall. Without a word said, Senka rushes down the hall to catch up with Faust before Portia gets a hold of her while I deal with distressed woman. 

“Ahgh! It’s headed for the garden! We’ll never find it out there-” the handmaiden moans. “Oh god, the birds! Ohh, they’re not bred for combat, they don’t stand a chance!” Portia’s face goes white as she thinks of the hundreds of rare, plump birds warbling in the garden, tears threatening at the corners of her eyes. 

Before she can work herself into more of a frenzy, I find myself blurting out the only words that come to mind. “She doesn’t eat birds.” 

“What?” Portia looks back at me incredulously. “How do you know? She? Doesn’t eat birds? Is that… _your_ snake, Aurex?” 

Suddenly, we’re knocked aside. It’s the chamberlain, somersaulting towards the veranda. 

“A million pardons! I must reach the Countess!” they yell back at us without slowing down. 

We stop and exchange a cringe, then hurry after. As we burst onto the veranda, Nadia stands gazing out over the gardens. She doesn’t turn right away. I notice Senka is sitting at her side and offers no word on Faust’s whereabouts, looking awfully pleased with herself when I squint questioningly at her. 

“Oh, Aurex! Up early, I see,” Nadia smiles as she turns to look at the two of us. Then she notices our harried state and the fact that I am still in my nightclothes. “My, aren’t you in a hurry! And you, Portia… is there something I should know about?” 

“We uh- wuh-” Portia’s mouth gapes slightly as she tries to come up with something to say, glancing sideways at me. “How are you already dressed, milady? Are you expecting somebody?” 

“I had a feeling I might be,” Nadia nods. “Now, if you would be so patient… The chamberlain is very eager to speak with me.” 

The chamberlain bows slightly. “Yes, milady! Announcing the arrival of the-!” 

Suddenly, a hooded figure with a smoldering gaze steps up from the garden stairs, followed by the sound of guards. The mysterious figure pulls two silver pitchers from under a trailing cloak and pours out two arcs of sparkling liquid, which swirl together like a stormcloud. The spiral grows until it takes on a human form just as the hooded figure drops under the weight of fifteen castle guards in a shower of sand. 

“O-of the magician, Asra,” the chamberlain finishes defeatedly, before shouting at the pile of guards in the garden. “Guards! I told you all about this! Why have you tackled?” 

“They usually do. Hello, Countess,” Asra says. 

I can’t believe he just made such a dramatic entrance. Actually, never mind, I _can_ believe it. What I can’t believe is that he is here, in the palace, right now. With Faust wrapped around him. My eyes fall on Senka as she trots to my side. She knew he was coming then; it explains her earlier smug look. 

“Asra…” Nadia stares wide-eyed at him for a moment, before recovering and smiling pleasantly. Asra brings his hat to his chest, dropping to a knee. “How I’ve longed to put a face to that name.” 

He winces slightly, but I don’t think anyone noticed but me, as he stands once more. “My name? What’s a magician’s name to you, Countess?” 

“I wonder…” Nadia appraises him, “you’re far younger than I imagined.” 

Her statement brings a smile to both my and Asra’s face. No one ever believes he could be as young as he is. Apparently, magicians with apprentices must be elderly. “Am I? You’re even more magnificent than I remember.” 

“Remember?” 

He nods. “I was a lot younger when you came to town. A face in the crowd at your arrival, all those years ago. What a twist of fate that we should have a first meeting again. I’ll try to make a lasting impression.” His gaze darts quickly over to me for the first time before he looks back at Nadia. “That being said… I hope you’ll forgive me if this is out of line.” 

Nadia quirks a brow as Asra approaches me, eyes fixed on my face. He throws his arms around me and squeezes me tight. I feel like his heart is overflowing, spilling into mine, making my chest thrum all the way out to my fingertips as they clutch his back. 

“I see you missed your apprentice. How sweet,” Nadia smiles. “She has been a most entertaining guest. 

Asra turns to face her once more, but still stands in my space, his arm moving to wrap around my shoulders lightly. “Of course,” he smirks, “Wherever she goes, chaos follows. Never a dull moment.” 

I scoff lightheartedly and roll my eyes, tugging on his coat where my arm is still on his back in rebuke. Says the person who just showed up in the most theatrical way possible and almost got tackled by guards. No way he could possibly be a chaos magnet. 

Flashing a quick grin back at me, he steps away to fully face Nadia once more. “I was wondering if I could take her out for the day.” 

Nadia’s smile fades to a worried look. “Hmm… we did lose time yesterday. But that was no fault of hers.” 

“Naturally, I’ll be helping her hone her abilities,” Asra says. “Surely that will help in the manhunt.” 

That seems to convince her readily enough. “Oh, then by all means, go right ahead. Enjoy your lesson, Aurex. Asra. But first…” Nadia’s eyes land on Faust and the snake basks in the attention. “I simply must admire your snake. Such a lovely morph. Where did you find her?” 

“She was a gift.” Asra lifts his hand to pet Faust’s head. 

“A fine gift indeed.” Nadia nods and lifts a hand in farewell. “Goodbye for now, Aurex. Do return in one piece.” 

I return her wave and shrug, a teasing twist present on my lips. “Not sure I can promise that, attracting chaos like I do. But I’ll try.” Nadia and Portia’s laughter follows me as I call out a goodbye to both of them and saunter over to where Asra and Faust are waiting. 

We pass under the veranda curtain. It’s strange, walking side by side down the grand hall back to my room with him… He’s so at ease here. It feels like a dream. 

Later, as we walk along the bridge, Asra exhales with a low whistle, scanning the horizon. “The palace has changed. The chamberlain remembers me… not sure about the guards.” And Nadia? The question goes unspoken, but his gaze slides away, wistful. 

“So, I was thinking we could stop first at the market,” he says, smiling at me. “We need to fill up on something. Want to stop for bread? You need the energy. We’ll be trying the limits of your magic today.” 

The prospect is thrilling. We both know I’ve gotten stronger since he saw me last. 

“Excited? I am too.” He brushes his shoulder against mine, and we make our way off the palace grounds, down into the city. 

++++

It’s around noon when we reach the market. It’s in full swing, lively and crowded. I try to keep a careful eye on Asra… I tend to lose him in a crowd. 

“Stay close, Aurex. I’m always losing you in crowds.” 

I stare at him, blinking. It’s like he read my mind. He gives me a curious look. 

“I was just thinking the same about you. But I may have a solution to both of our problems…” I hold out my hand towards him and watch him stare wide-eyed at it for a moment. “How about we hold hands?” A flustered smile steals across his face as I feel his gentle fingers curling around my palm. 

“You mean… like we used to?” he asks hesitantly. “It’s been a while since then. You don’t need me to hold onto you anymore… and I’m not as paranoid about losing you.” 

Still, he weaves his fingers easily with mine. I’ve missed this feeling. I may not need him to hold onto me anymore, but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t like him to. Giving his hand a quick squeeze, I smile as his ears burn red. 

Despite his flustered state, Asra grins, drawing me closer to his side, and turns his head away as he catches scent of something. “Ohh, do you smell that?” I sniff the air. Cardamom, clove, nutmeg, and pumpkin. It’s the bread. “Must be coming out of the oven. Let’s get in there before the rush.” 

We make our way to the booth, and the crowd parts easily for us. It always does. 

“Well! If it isn’t Aurex and Asra, together again!” The baker wipes flour from his brow and gives us a smile. Asra leans on the table, smiling back. 

“That’s right. How’s business?” 

Klaus motions us enthusiastically into the booth. “Better with the two of you around. Go on and have a seat.” 

We maneuver to the tiny table in the corner by the stairs. Asra sits on the step and leaves the chair for me. I watch, smiling, as Senka sits next to him, leaning against him and resting her chin on his knee. Her eyes close contently as his hand moves to scratch behind her ears. It seems she missed her napping partner as much as Faust and I did. 

The baker pours each of us a cup of aromatic brew. “Planning to stay a while?” he asks Asra. “You didn’t come all the way back from wherever you were for bread, did you?” 

“Maybe. Well…” Asra’s eyes meet mine. “We’re about to head out on another journey.” 

“You’re bringing your apprentice along this time?” Asra nods, and Klaus grins at me from ear to ear before he turns back to fan the oven. To say that I haven’t expressed my desire to go _anywhere_ to him numerous times when Asra is gone would be a complete lie. 

A comfortable silence falls over as we drain our cups, sunlight streaming across the table. I lean back, breathing deeply. The spices in the air weave together like the threads of a tapestry. 

“This smells familiar.” Of course, I’ve visited Klaus numerous times, but something is different this time. The recognizable feeling of déjà vu that I’ve learned to avoid whenever it occurs tickles at the back of mind. Instead, I turn my focus back to Asra to deter any headaches. 

“Oh? Is it reminding you of something?” A glimmer flashes across his eyes and he leans over his elbows to speak in a low, subtle voice. “Smell has a way of bringing you back, doesn’t it? To an exact moment, a whole experience long forgotten. It’s unique that way.” 

“Here you are. One for Aurex, and Asra… careful, they’re hot.” 

The baker lays two steaming loaves in parchment and wraps them for the road. Asra leans back. Cautiously, Klaus presents his hands to Asra, who turns them over to examine the knuckles. They bear a few pink, stiff scars. Asra rubs his thumbs over them until they disappear. 

“You’re amazing. Thank you,” Klaus says. “Take care of each other, you two!” 

Asra waits for me to pass before he stands and sends Klaus a smile, following behind me. “We will.” 

We say our goodbyes to the baker and cross the stairs and pass right in front of the small, dusty fortune teller’s booth. Asra notices me ghosting past and gives me a sneaky smirk. 

“Whaaat, what is it? Are you avoiding the fortune teller?” 

I shrug noncommittally, thinking back to the reading they gave me a few days ago. Asra sighs deeply. 

“I thought I told them to lay off. It’s a shame; they may not be the best in town, but… They give a pretty good love reading. Hey, you know…” A playful glint dances in his eyes as he turns to me. “What if I glamoured us? Then you don’t have to worry.” 

He really wants to get a love reading? I suppose we can’t really do it ourselves. Besides… I wouldn’t mind being glamoured under his magic touch. I’m not sure what we’ll get out of this love reading, but the thought of Asra glamouring me, his magic washing over me, isn’t unappealing. 

I glance at the booth before nodding. “Let’s do it.” 

“That’s the spirit!” Asra grins at my agreement. “But it’s been a while since we’ve had to disguise you. I’ll have to come up with something fresh…” 

I believe it. He is very imaginative. I just wish he’d teach me to do it on my own. Though he provided all the resources I need to learn. It was the reason he gave. Teaching me to hide who I was would be painful for him. But that was a long time ago. 

“I’ve got it. All right, if you had to pick… silver or gold?” Faust’s long body slides out his collar, burrowing into the folds of his shawl. “Actually, why pick? I can do both.” 

Asra leads me into a corner behind a stack of tightly-rolled carpets, faded from the sun. He cups my face in his hands, and as his eyes close, so do mine. His thumbs brush over my eyelids, gentle and warm. It’s hard at first to keep my eyes shut under his unpredictable touch, but the feeling of his careful fingers smoothing over my features is so nice. Lightness bubbles in my chest. Without my sight, his magic feels just like water trickling down my face, over my neck, and down my arms. 

“Done. You know, I’d still know you in a heartbeat.” As his hands leave my face, I let my eyes open, soft laughter stoking my curiosity. “Here, take a look. What do you think? Is it you, or is it you?” 

He gestures to the puddle between us, to the strangers reflected back in place of Asra and I. My eyes are long-lashed, lips parted in surprise, and emerald green. Twisted in gleaming coils around my mouth is a beard, half silver and half gold, adorned with flowers. I’m dressed for travel, light and comfortable. Still, I look like I have everything I could ever need. 

“What do you think? The look I was going for is wandering wisefolk who know how to have fun.” 

Across the reflection from me, Asra’s eyes peer out of a round face that bears many smiling decades. Bald on top, with a braid of gold and silver winding over his shoulder, and once more around his arm. It’s strange to see the glowing face offer me his signature smile. But at the same time... The smile is familiar, even if I’ve never seen it on this face. I would always know it was him. And when I look up from the surface of the puddle, he looks like he always does. The shimmering, fluid magic around his face doesn’t trick me for an instant. 

“Ready?” His voice is pitched low, a good-humored croak. 

When I open my mouth to respond, the nasal sound startles me. Asra really went all the way with making me the complete opposite of myself. 

“Come on Auri, don’t be shy!” he laughs at my reaction, dimples showing. Then mock seriousness takes over his features. “Unless that’s the kind of wandering wisefolk you want to be. The silent enigma. Either way, I’ve got enough to ask them for both of us.” 

Holding my elbows, he draws me to my feet, eyes wandering my face with fascination. Before we enter the booth, Senka splits off and makes herself comfortable on a nearby wall away from the fortune teller’s gaze to wait since she’s too big to include in the glamour easily. 

“Welcome, welcome to my booth!” they greet as Asra and I duck under the flap. “Kick up your feet! Lay down your load! Ooh my my, what a worldly charm you two have.” I swallow a laugh; seems Asra got the exact outcome he was going for. “What brings you into my den of mystery?” 

Asra grins at the fortune teller. “Oh, just a little thing called love, of course. Why go anywhere, why do anything for anything else? Love.” He raises my knuckles to his mouth, planting quick kisses over each one. My heart gives a trill of surprise. Well, at least I won’t have to fake the lovestruck part of this charade. 

“So, what we have is brand new, but it kinda feels like it’s meant to be. You know what I mean? At the same time, that just makes it even worse, thinking about if we ever find out it isn’t _real._ That it isn’t meant to be…” He glances towards me, a frown tugging at his mouth briefly before he hides it, turning back to the fortune teller as if nothing changed. “We’re about to hit the road, but hey. Why pass up the chance to get an expert opinion?” 

“Of course, of course! Yes, yes, lovers on the road. Beautiful. Each of you, give me your hand.” Beckoning with wriggling fingers, the fortune teller encloses each of our hands in their grasp. Indistinct humming flows out of them. “It’s coming; it’s getting clearer… clearer…” They tap their long fingers on the foggy surface of the crystal ball, squeezing my hand and Asra’s in turn. 

“It’s taking a while to look that far in the future, huh?” Asra shoots me a grin. He’s having fun. I smile back at him. Maybe it wasn’t so bad coming in here after all. 

So is the fortune teller, skittering their fingers in wide looping tracks over the surface of the ball. “Oooooooooh, I’m seeing it! I see both of you… going on a journey, yes?” 

“We are going on a journey!” Asra answers. “What else do you see?” 

“This journey… it is not the first. And it will not be the last.” They beckon us closer, shaking a finger with every word of the fortune that follows. “Every journey you take together, you will fall for each other all over again!” 

“Really?” Surprise registers on his face before Asra laughs, pulling my hands into his again. “That’s wonderful. You’re the real deal, my friend. What do we owe you? Does this cover us?” 

Asra reaches into his bag to offer up a dry lizard foot and a handful of freshwater pearls. 

“It…” the fortune teller scans over the payment quickly, “does! The future heaps blessings upon you, travelers!” 

Asra tucks his face into my neck, and I feel the shape of his smile there as I crowd him out of the booth, Senka joining us once more. As he leads me off the common road, I can’t help but wonder… Were those his words, any of them? Is that how he really feels? 

++++

Eventually, our path takes us to the edge of the woods. The sun is high overhead, dappling down through the leaves onto the path ahead. 

“This is the right light to find our way,” Asra says, “Perfect timing.” 

It’s a path we take often enough. Not too far in, we can find a few of the plants we use at the shop. As we move into the speckling shade, I watch Asra’s profile. He’s quiet, but still brimming with excitement. 

When we take an unfamiliar turn, I’m certain. We aren’t harvesting at any of the usual spots. This isn’t a normal walk in the woods. We’re looking for something more. It’s been a while since we’ve gone into the forest. It feels different this time. But I do miss the calm tones of his voice, so close to me as he answered my endless questions. 

Not that I long for the old days when he led me along as I hung off his arm. When all I could make were wordless sounds. No, I don’t miss that. I like this better, walking beside him. I’m not following, and he isn’t leading. We’re going together. 

Senka bumps her head against my thigh, peering up at me sadly like she knows where my thoughts went. _“Better now.”_ She remembers that time just as well as I do. No, she doesn’t long for those days either. 

Asra’s voice drags me from my thoughts. “What are you thinking about? You look worried.” He flashes me a reassuring smile. “Try to relax. Breathe deep. We’re going to a place you’ve been before.” 

I draw in a calming breath, feeling his gaze on my profile. His arms link fluidly behind his back as he leans towards me, catching my gaze, drawing it upward. 

“Look over there, what do you see?” 

I follow his luminous stare overhead, to the left where the sun streams through the canopy. There are three birds in the tree. Vibrant ravens, one bright eye each boring into mine. They form the points of an equal triangle. 

“The last time I brought you here, you were new to magic.” 

I hear a shift of fabric just as Faust moves onto my arm, settling in smooth coils across my shoulders. Just like Senka, she does this when Asra talks about the past. I wonder who sensed my need for comfort first, him or her. 

As if sensing my thoughts, Asra leans into me to take my hand in his, thumb brushing over mine. “We’re going to a cave. It’s a hot spot for magic, not just because of the natural energy. People have been going there for as long as time. To experience another side of reality. You’ll see what I mean when we get there. 

“It’s a beautiful place.” His gaze drops to the ground. “I’ve been wanting to take you for a while, but… I told myself it was too dangerous.” Faust slides off of my shoulder, returning to Asra as his hand leaves mine. “I’m not holding you back anymore, okay? You’re going to do fine.” 

His eyes hide none of his admiration. Basking in it gives me a rush of confidence. But I sense something underneath. Something he won’t tell me. 

When we reach the cave, the temperature drops. It’s soothing. I hadn’t realized how hot I was. Asra sighs beside me as I duck under the soft fronds and out of the blazing sunlight. The walls of the cave are bright, glittering. 

Asra lets Faust slide off his back to move along the coursing grooves. “Ahh, the air is humid. That’s a good sign… You feel the energy?” 

I do. Waves of effervescent warmth… I felt them before we stepped inside. 

“It comes from a spring, in one of the caverns up ahead. That’s where we want to go. There’s also a hundred ways to get lost on the way there. I’m going to ask you to lead us, Aurex.” He stands close, watching my profile while I gaze deep into the tunnels ahead. 

“I can do it.” 

“I know you can. You have an aura of confidence today. It’s, hmm… dazzling.” His eyes flicker over the aura surrounding me before frowning. “Maybe you needed a stricter teacher. I’ll have to thank Nadia later.” 

I scowl briefly back at him. He often thinks he’s an abysmal teacher even though he’s not. “I wouldn’t be where I am without you as my teacher, and you know it, Asra,” I tell him softly. “Nadia has nothing to do with it.” 

Pretending not to hear me, Asra lingers by the entrance while Faust winds her body up the wall to find a spot in the vines overhead. I glance over at Senka who has already sprawled out near the mouth of the cave. They won’t be joining us in here, it seems. 

He reaches up to stroke Faust’s chin. “Get comfortable, Faust. We may be a while.” Nodding to the darkness ahead of us, he offers me his hand with an easy smile. “Ready?” 

As if I could know. I feel his heartbeat steady beside me as I take his arm, and we descend into the abyss. The tunnels grow narrow, then wide, narrow, wide, narrow, wide. I try to map their shapes in my mind. There’s no way to tell time down here. I can concentrate on nothing but the moment. Asra only speaks when necessary. His even breath is nearly silent. 

As I run my hand along the wall, I notice patterns in the rock that I can’t see. Some walls seem to glow with shapes I can’t follow with my eyes. But when I trace them with my fingers, I know they are there. I follow these, and the pull of magic… 

Which grows stronger and stronger, until we emerge into a cavern. The energy here is alive, reverberating off the walls. This must be the place. 

Asra follows close behind me, eyes luminous in the light reflecting from a softly bubbling pool. “It hasn’t been like this in years… the water’s back.” He goes to the edge of the pool and presses one foot to the surface of a broad, rippling lilypad. 

“Feels healthy. You can walk on these. You see how they form a path? To the flower at the center?” Asra points to the bloom and glances back at me. “That flower is what we came for. You’ll need to get it alone.” 

That’s all? Interesting… getting here must have been the hard part. Dropping my bag, I bend down to slip my shoes off as he moves back to stand next to me. 

“Try not to overthink it, Aurex. Just pay attention, and keep moving forward.” 

Hesitation threatens to still my limbs, but I’ve gotten this far. I step onto the first lilypad. It’s surprisingly soft. It sinks under my weight, making ripples in the water. To the next, then the one after. They bounce under me, springing back when my weight is lifted. The near silence, the glittering water, dazzles me into a world all my own. On a sudden whim, I look back to Asra. 

How did he get so far away? I only took a few steps… and his expression has changed. He’s still. His apprehensive gaze is like ice down my neck. _Keep moving._

I turn, stepping off one buoyant pad to the next. I’m not supposed to look back. But I sense that the steps are getting longer. The plants under my feet, wider. 

When I reach the lilypad in the center, it takes three steps to reach the flower… and the bloom fills both my hands. As the petals draw me in with their sacred geometry, I feel the waxy skin beneath my feet begin to shake. I lean down, bring the flower to my face and smell, eyes sliding shut. 

This scent… I remember clawing my way onto this little island once, sopping wet, Asra’s arms shaking around me. Coughing, gasping his name, while he sobbed mine into my shoulder. 

_“You got so far away!”_ I panted. 

_“Maybe you weren’t supposed to look back… I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have brought you here,”_ Asra shook his head, fingers brushing my hair from my face. _“Please, I need to teach you a spell. Right now. If you remember to use it, this will never have to happen again. Take a deep breath…”_

My head rushed as I return to the present moment. Take a deep breath… let it last. When did Asra teach that to me? I know the spell… it must have been here. 

All at once, I realize that the lilypad beneath me is starting to shiver violently. Take a deep breath, and let it last. I draw in a great lungful of air and visualize it spreading to the tips of my toes. 

Just as the lilypad under my feet is sucked into the water below. 

I’m submerged in water. It’s clearer than air, and my body looks strangely distant. The pool is warm, much deeper than it looked… a shadow moves over me. 

Asra is reaching for me from above with both arms, drawing me through the water into his loose embrace. Red silk ripples along his shoulders and neck as grasping fingers pull me close. His eyes gleam as they search my face, looking for signs to confirm his hope. 

I’m fine. I don’t need to breathe. 

When he’s sure, his eyes soften, hands coming to rest on either side of my face. Pearlescent hair twists fluidly through the water, past his gleaming eyes. He looks so proud. 

We break the surface and paddle for the shore to collapse against the smooth, warm rock. Wiping my eyes, I look out at the flower in the center of the pond. It’s just as it was before. Water laps at my waist as I roll onto my back and Asra’s heavy breath hitches with laughter. 

“Aurex, you remembered!” 

His grin is contagious, and I find myself mirroring it, laughter spilling out as well. I remembered more than he knows. I actually recalled a _memory_ all without a piercing headache. Maybe I will finally start to remember other things on my own. Maybe I can finally regain all that I lost. 

A change in Asra’s tone pulls my gaze back to him. “I was so worried, all I want to do is hold you.” Tension drips from his body as he leans over me. 

“Hold me then.” 

Asra pulls back slightly, eyes widening comically like he didn’t expect me to agree. Then his grin returns and his laugh rings like crystal through the cavern. 

“May I?” he asks, low laughter rumbling through him. “Lucky me.” Smoothly, his arm slides across my back to pull us together, almost nose to nose. Clear water moves between us, rushing against my legs, sparkling along the curve of his back. 

“You did so well,” Asra murmurs, “I was worrying over nothing… Someday I’ll stop underestimating you, Auri.” 

Soft eyes trace my features until his arm tightens around me, holding me flush against his chest. “Mmmmm. It feels good to hold you like this.” His gaze drops to my chest, hidden behind the ghostly white of his lashes. “It’s been pretty tough, wondering if I would ever get the chance again.” 

His forehead brushes side to side gently against my temple, gleaming curls painting wet trails across my ear. What was stopping him? Did he think I would have refused? We’ve held each other before. But not like this, with his arms flexing around my back, sealing the spaces between us. No, nothing quite so dizzying. 

His lips caress my cheek, and he pulls back an inch to search my face. “You okay? Your breath got shallow. Too tight?” 

He eases his hold on me, brushing his fingers down my spine with care. My chest does feel tight. But in the best way possible. I roll onto my back once more, pulling him along with me, so he’s lying against me. 

“First, I put you in harm’s way, now I have to squeeze the life out of you.” 

Sighing wistfully, he sinks back into the water. The arms wound around my back drop down to circle my waist, his cool cheek sliding down my breast. “It’s just… been a while since I got a scare like that. I’m the one who was supposed to keep my cool… But I didn’t even think before I jumped in.” Asra blows out a frustrated breath. 

“And now I need your heartbeat to soothe me.” He turns his face into my chest, wet lips skating over my heart. His breath is so warm. “What I wouldn’t do for this heartbeat. I love this sound.” 

I gasp as his arms tighten around my back, planting a firm kiss to my chest that fills me with lightness. 

Asra’s quiet laugh puffs against my skin, and I can feel his pleased smile. “It’s getting faster.” He spreads his fingers on the small of my back, then curls them into my clinging clothes. His mouth presses tenderly into the slick skin over my thumping heart. 

I close my eyes, tilting my head to face the ceiling. Stars, he’s trying to kill me. Asra is determined to send the heart he loves listening to so much beating straight out of my chest. That’s all there is to it. 

“Aurex…” he whispers. “Do you know what would happen to me, if I let something happen to you?” 

I blink down at him, and he’s looking at me with great intensity. Shaking my head, I lift a hand to push away his sodden curls from his eyes before cupping his cheek. “No. What would happen to you?” 

His grip tightens on my back as if he can’t get any closer, and he leans into my hand. “What would I do? You really want to know?” He straightens his arms to rise over me, stirring the water around us, and my hand trails down to rest on his chest. 

“I would lose it. Everything. My wits, my reason. My judgment… like just now. I jumped into the water without thinking.” Asra shakes his head. “Who knows what could have happened? This pool is powerful. We could have swapped bodies.” 

Thinking about what he just said, an impish smirk begins to curl his lips as he leans in closer. “Hm. That wouldn’t be so bad.” 

A single barked laugh bursts out of me. “Asra!” As I push him over, he snorts with laughter. I plant a hand on either side of his head, settling over his hips. Leaning down until our noses are almost touching, I smile as his laughter cuts off abruptly at my nearness. “Unfortunately for you, we’ll just have to make do as we are.” 

When I bring our lips together, his breath shudders. His skin slips against mine without friction. Only graceful caresses, as he moves with my mouth, keeping us in sync until we finally part. I linger for a moment, resting my forehead against his. 

“You worry too much.” 

“I know… sorry for being so gloomy.” He gives me a small smile as I pull back slightly to look at him. “I’ll find some way to make it up to you on the way back.” 

The way back? I hadn’t even thought about it, but… I’m not looking forward to navigating those endless tunnels again. 

“You look worried. Don’t be.” One arm around my back, he nods to the walls around us. “Do you see it now?” 

Everything has changed. I was so wrapped up in him, I didn’t even see. There are markings on the walls that were hidden before. Magical designs, left by others before us. Declarations of devotion. Depictions of the unknown. Some just for fun. They lead my eyes around the cavern... To a way out, one I don’t remember seeing before. The lines pulse with mesmerizing light. 

“You can see, can’t you?” Asra asks. I nod, looking back down at him. “Your eyes are opened, if only for a little while. Let’s not waste it.” 

A quick kiss to the corner of my mouth, and he helps me to my feet, nearly slipping back into the pool. As water courses down our limbs, we follow the glowing lines to the way out… wondering where it will lead us. 

++++

Clambering up the slippery walls on hands and knees, we emerge from the cave. Outside, it is bright as day. It takes a moment to adjust to the light. 

Stopping at my side, Asra laughs brightly. “Wow. I thought it was day for a second. I thought we were in there all night.” As I rub the flashes of light from my eyes, Asra rests his hand on my shoulder. “Aurex, look around.” 

I look around. The forest too has changed. Luminescent whorls of color weave up through the roots and spread to the sparkling dark leaves. Every mushroom cap glows with inner light, brightest in the currents of the pulsing aurora I see around Asra. 

“Your magic is running up through the cavewater,” he says, more than a little awe in his tone. “It finds the tiniest crack and comes through. Like light.” 

I can’t take my eyes off his aura. The longer he looks at me, the brighter it grows, the deeper its colors. I’m about to speak when I hear something at the farthest reaches of my awareness. It’s just the echo of a whisper. A tiny ripple in the field of energy, but I hear it very clearly. 

_“There you are.”_

Asra’s eyes widen. “Did you just hear a voice?” I nod. He wipes a hand across his face, and I feel the other at my elbow as he draws close beside me. The echo is still worming its way through my brain, rising in pitch until it is unintelligible. 

“If you can hear him… I’m sure you can see him, too.” His eyes flick towards the forest beyond us. “He isn’t far. In the hills nearby, maybe. We’ll be able to get a look at him.” 

Him? That voice… it has a strange, garbled quality. I know I’ve heard it before. 

“Aurex…” Asra starts. “You’ve been at the palace for a few days… a few nights. Did you encounter anything you couldn’t explain? A voice, a creature that disappeared when you looked close?” 

As if I could forget seeing even a brief glimpse of those whirling horns and white fur; it doesn’t help that I’m reminded of it every time I’m in the dining room. “I saw the creature.” 

He winces, cursing under his breath. “I figured you would. It’s no surprise, given the circumstance… there’s something in the palace. Something that only exists in the other world.” Asra breathes in deeply. “It started with him. Lucio. I haven’t seen him yet. I have a lot of protections up… he can’t come anywhere near me. And he’s weak. He shouldn’t be able to hurt you, but… Did he scare you, Aurex?” 

His gaze is soft on me as if he blames himself. As much as I would like to lie and say I wasn’t scared, Asra would see right through the attempt to save his feelings. “He scared me.” 

Asra groans. “How frustrating. If I had known you were going to the palace I could I have warned you.” His hand slips from my elbow to wrap loosely around my wrist. “I’m sorry he scared you. I’ll make sure he doesn’t again. But there’s one thing I want you to remember when you deal with him, okay?” 

Unbidden, the feeling of ashes coating my skin and heat at my back flood my mind, the sensation of choking shadows pulls at my chest. Swallowing thickly, I nod, hoping I don’t have to deal with the creature again. But given my luck in finding him, rather being _taken_ to him, I doubt that’ll happen. 

“Don’t listen to him. I know it can be hard, especially once he knows how to find you. I’m not saying don’t hear him. You can’t help that. I mean don’t _listen.”_ Fingers tighten around my wrist as Asra shakes his head. “He’s going to try to get to you, whatever it takes to keep you listening. He’s starved for attention.” 

My stomach picks this moment to growl. Noticing the tight grip he has on my wrist, Asra takes a step back. 

“There’s a good place to stop up ahead. I’ll make something to eat, okay?” He grins, but I can still see the effects of our conversation lingering in his eyes. “I’m starving too.” We proceed into the forest, dazzled by the colors and lights. 

Before long, we come across a circular clearing, and Asra stops to gather stones. Hanging in the branches around the circle are seven-sided stars woven from tightly braided grass. They’re Asra’s work, but much less practiced than the ones I’ve seen him make. 

As he starts to unpack some seasoning herbs from his bag, he catches me examining one of the charms. “I made this spot for safety a long time ago. You know things are bad in the city when you need to hide in the woods.” 

He pulls the pumpkin bread from earlier out from his bag and holds it out to me. “Here, you can finish off the bread. I’ll start a fire.” 

I drop to a crouch by his side to accept the end of the loaf while Asra arranges a circle of stones. When he holds his hands over the circle, the fire that bursts under his palms is a blazing blue roar. He lets out a surprised yelp, and the flames recede in an instant, growing calm and steady. We stare at the hearth in wonder. 

“My magic is a little more potent than usual.” He shakes his head as if the reason should be obvious. “That’s right. Yours is, too. Want to try it out?” 

He blows out the fire, letting it steam before he moves aside. When I hold my hand over the circle of stones, flame jets from the center of my palm with a sharp crack, reviving the fire in a single flash. That… was more than I expected. I didn’t even add all that much power behind it. Asra laughs as I stare down my arm in disbelief. 

“Don’t use it too much, okay? You’re already starving.” He drops his eyes to the ground next to the stones. 

“Anyway… about the thing at the palace. You should probably stay away from Lucio’s old wing.” He pauses. I watch the firelight dance in his haunted eyes. “Unfortunately, I can’t promise you he won’t come to you.” 

Asra meets my gaze once more. “I’ve got a friend who lives out here in the woods. He said he’s seen it, sliding through the trees. It used to just look like a trick of the light. Then it appeared as a shadow. But by the sounds of it… it’s goatlike now, walking on two legs. White, with red eyes.” 

I nod. That’s definitely the form I saw. I remember that red. 

“I’m going to lay some protections on you before we take you back there. But first… I want you to see him. Once you have, I don’t think he’ll be able to hide from you again.” Asra rises to his feet, looking over my shoulder. 

A pale shape is darting down the craggy rock wall nearby, followed by a large, inky shadow that remains at the top watching the direction they just came from. Moonlight gleans off Faust’s undulating form as she reaches us in a great hurry, leaving Senka behind. 

_“Him!”_ Faust cries urgently. 

Asra frowns. “I know… where is he now?” She gives a wordless answer and dives into Asra’s shirt. I’ve never seen her so frantic. “The field? Hmm… I thought so.” 

He glances at the rock and turns to me. “Aurex, let’s climb up this rock. We’ll be able to see from there.” He weaves his fingers together, offering me a foothold so I can scrabble up on top of the jagged rock where my familiar is waiting. 

Once, I pull myself up, I blink against the wind and peer out over the treetops. The first thing I see is the palace, leaking pungent red aura which hangs like a wraith over the elegant spires. The miasma drips down through the fields, down the hills… And into the city. 

Asra peers up at me from between the leaves. “Do you see him?” 

Him. I scan the moonlit fields, unsure of what I’m going to see. There. A crimson trail cuts through the hillside, bleeding into the grass. Dragging the red aura through the grass is a pale creature on two legs. Thin and translucent, not human… and staring at me. That… is that Lucio? 

_“Yesssss,”_ he hisses. The moment his voice rings through my mind, I can hear Senka growl in return as she moves to position herself between Lucio and me. _“You know me. And I know you, Aurex.”_

Fear pulses through me as my name echoes in my head. The more it rings, the louder it seems to grow. Then I feel fingers clasping around my hand, and it stops. Asra is beside me, staring out into the field. His expression is unlike any I’ve ever seen. His eyes are deep with hatred, and when he speaks, his voice is low and cold. 

“Go away, Lucio.” 

The shift in the creature’s attention is palpable as it leaves me to fall on Asra. After a tense moment, the creature seems to slump, turning away, shrinking to nothing. Once he’s gone, Asra’s hand goes slack and slips out of mine. We scale clumsily down the rocks, still in a bit of a daze. 

As soon as he’s back on his feet, Asra rounds on me. “You heard in your mind, didn’t you? I did, too. What did he say to you?” 

“He said my name.” Where had he even learned it? Has he been following me around the palace without me knowing? I shudder at the thought of him lurking where I can’t see him. 

“He knows your name? Oh, I guess he does.” Asra’s eyes dart away, fidgeting slightly. As quickly as his unease surfaced, it disappears just as fast. “Don’t let him scare you, Aurex. No matter what he says, you’re stronger than he is.” 

Something dark passes across his face as he continues. “He was in my head, too… telling me what he was going to do to me.” Shaking off whatever Lucio said to him, Asra smirks. “I told him to try it. He didn’t. See? He’s not so scary. Does that make you feel any better?” 

I suppose that does make me feel a little better. 

“As for me, I won’t feel better until I’ve put protections on you,” he says. “Not too many. And just for now, okay?” 

I wander into his loose embrace, and Asra returns us to the place beside the fire. His cool magic washes over me, heightening my senses again, making the dimming forest glow anew. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't expect this chapter to take so long. I wanted to finish it around mid-November, but life had other plans for me apparently. Hopefully, I'll get the next chapter out sooner after the next update.
> 
> Also, I'm going to be sappy and thank all of the people who have even read it this far, or at all. I didn't expect many readers with this being a novelization, but the fact that, as of this moment, I'm just short of 200 hits AND have a few fic subscriptions/bookmarks is mind-blowing. So thank you!!


	10. Strength

It’s the dead of night. A breeze moves through the grass as we shuffle through golden fields. Beside me, Asra is finally calm. He says we’re going to meet someone. A friend of his who can help us get far from the palace. We’re already a few hours away. We’re leaving the city… it started with a talk we had earlier. 

It was while we were eating, right after our encounter with the creature in the field. The fire had been warm, and we were sitting side by side, close after he showered his protections on me. We were laughing about something that had happened in the cave. My chest was light. When I stopped I noticed that his face was very serious, and Faust was still, waiting for his next move. 

“I think it’s a bad idea for you to go back to the palace,” Asra said. “Don’t you?” 

I had to think about it. It did seem dangerous to go back into Count Lucio’s domain. But what about the Countess? It was her domain, now. And I was supposed to help her catch the doctor. What would happen if we… left? 

“I’m more worried about what would happen if we stayed. That form Lucio’s taken… that’s not his spirit; it’s something more. I’m not sure I understand it yet.” He shook his head and frowned. “Until I do… how can I let you out of my sight?” 

He had taken my hands in his and looked deeply into my eyes, his own gleaming with emotion. “Aurex… let’s get away from here. For now.” 

The goat ghost’s eyes had come to mind. The sensation of the ground dropping from below. “Okay.” 

“Okay?” 

I nodded and squeezed his hands. “Let’s go.” 

Tension melted from Asra’s shoulders as he wrapped me in a tight embrace, whispering his thanks. When we parted, his energy had changed, drawing Faust down from the branches. 

“Faust. Would you stay here and keep an eye on Nadia?” 

_“An eye?”_ she asked, speaking to both of us. 

“Just let us know if anything changes. If she needs us, we can always come back.” He gave Faust a fond smile and scratched her chin. “Be safe.” 

_“Be safe!”_ she chirped brightly. The moonlight leapt in arcs over her scales as Faust wound her way up through the trees, deep into the forest. Neither of us had bothered to ask Senka to stay because we both knew she would not. When Faust was gone from sight, we packed up, put out the fire and headed for the open fields beyond. 

We’ve been passing through the fields for a while now. The further we get from the city, the brighter the stars. I haven’t gotten tired yet walking with Asra, listening to his travel tales. It’s windy, and the grass flutters against our legs in the warm night breeze. 

After finishing up his story, Asra turns to me with a smile. “It’s about time I told you where we’re heading. I have a place we can stay for now.” 

I’ve always wondered where he stays when he’s away. If I’m being honest, I figured he just slept under trees or something. So, finding out he has a place that we can stay is more than a little surprising. 

“A lot has happened in the past few days… the cards say something even bigger will be happening soon. So, I think we should work on developing your magic, at least until things change at the palace.” He frowns, clearing his throat once. “I don’t know how long we’ll have. I wish I could give you a chance to relax…” 

“I relax all the time,” I grumble, more to myself than anything. This is the first time I’ve gotten to leave Vesuvia that I can remember, I don’t want to spend it _relaxing._

He slows his pace, sighing and shaking away his mood with a resilient gleam in his eye. “So Auri… if we were really running, there are so many places we could go. We’ve been living in the city for a while. Would you want to go more remote? Or another city? There are bigger ones than Vesuvia, you know. Lots to see in a big city.” 

“A big city,” I answer quickly. 

“Oh?” The surprise on his face quickly melts into a grin. “Well, I would love to go to another city with you. I could help you take the shop on the road.” 

I give him a blank look that compels him to bubbling laughter. There are things that would keep me from leaving Vesuvia permanently, but it’s not an impossible idea. My anxiety in public has lessened lately. And now that I’m spending a little time on my own… There’s so much out there to see, so many people to meet. I want to see it all. 

“I’m happy that you’re coming out of your shell. I’ve been spoiled, having you to myself for so long.” His smile as he leans into my side is teasing, but bittersweet. 

Soon we come upon a large pile of dry golden grass curled in a spiral. It gleams in the moonlight. 

“Still sleeping…” Rummaging through his bag, Asra finds a vial of water chestnuts, shakes them out into his palm, and waits. 

There is a huff of breath from inside the silky wheat and then emerges a snuffling round snout. I freeze reflexively when the round shape unfurls. It’s a big animal, with a big, heavy sleepy head. Its broad tongue flops out to slurp the water chestnuts out of Asra’s hand. 

“Morning sleepy hooves.” 

_“Asraaa.”_ It has a voice like groaning wood. It takes me a moment to register that it spoke his name. Perhaps voice isn’t the word for it since the animal is occupied licking Asra’s hand. It’s like Faust and Senka. Speaking on another level. It seems older than either of them, familiar with the land. 

The animal gives a last lick to Asra’s face before it turns its snout in my direction. I lift my arm for the beast to sniff. It sniffs. One purple eye peers out to me from under arching wheat brows. 

_“…Aurex? You look different. You have a different smell.”_

A different smell? Have we met? I have no memory of this creature… wait. “I know you. From my dream.” The purple eye blinks, sliding to Asra with wordless curiosity. 

“Aurex probably doesn’t remember meeting you. A lot has changed since then…” Something forlorn crosses his face, but he doesn’t let it linger. “Do I smell any different?” 

The animal sniffs Asra’s head and gives a whinnying sigh. _“The same. Hope and devotion.”_

“Oh, you.” He quickly turns his head to the side, shifting his weight. “Speaking of hope… I hope you’ll help us out. We’re trying to get far away from Vesuvia. For now.” 

The animal rolls onto its side, folding its two front legs over each other and stretching two in the back. _“Where will you go?”_

Asra looks out over the vast, rolling hills that wait before us. “To Nopal. If it isn’t too far.” 

The beast yawns and rolls to its back. It stretches its many short loglike limbs. _“Not far. I am well rested. Hop on.”_

“You’re the best.” Asra beams and slings a leg over the beast, strokes its side fondly and reaches down for me. “Aurex, how do you want to sit? In front or behind?” 

“In front.” There’s no way I’m going to miss the scenery because Asra’s blocking it. He pulls me up to sit in front of him, holding my hips steady as I straddle the creature. My heart rushes at the closeness, the warmth of Asra’s chest meeting my back and his arms winding around my waist. 

I can hear the smirk in his voice as his breath ghosts over my ear. “Comfortable?” 

I nod. It’s surprisingly comfortable, though I feel acutely aware of his legs hugging the beast’s sides as he settles in. 

Asra’s laugh vibrates through both of us. “Good. Because Senka’s going to be sitting in your lap.” 

Without warning, she launches herself onto my lap, wedging herself in as securely as she can between me and the beast’s neck. Once she’s settled, she looks up at me cheekily. _“Comfortable?”_

Huffing a laugh, I tap the end of her nose affectionately and nod. Stars save me from this sassy cat. 

“Get a good grip here. You’re going to have to hold on pretty tight.” He pats the fur at the beast’s shoulder. Reaching over Senka, I cautiously bury my hands in its shaggy coat and take a firm hold. 

_“Ready?”_ the beast asks. 

“Ready,” Asra says. A gust of wind whorls through the shimmering sand, whipping up a tumbleweed. At the horizon, the sky is coming alive with color. 

_“Beautiful sunrise.”_

The animal’s belly expands under us with breath. Tightening his hold, Asra catches my eye with a look of delight. And the beast takes off with a burst of speed to soar across the winding sand. 

++++

We’re windblown, eyes dry by the time we arrive at our destination and slide off the back of the beast. Though I barely felt the ride, my legs are aching. I’m not the only one it seems, given Senka’s stretching at the moment. We’re both exhausted, and the house before us is very inviting. 

While the animal shuffles off around the side of the structure, Asra visits the garden, frowning at the yellow plants. 

“Well, this all looks thirsty. Looks like I’ve been gone too long.” He drops the bag from his shoulder and unwinds his scarf with a yawn, rubbing the sand from his eyes. 

A bleached basin nearby is filled with gray, dusty earth. It looks like it may have been a fountain once. The sight makes Asra blink once. Then he holds his palms over the cracked dirt, and the surface starts to wobble. It turns to golden liquid, pondwater green, then clear, sparkling blue. Sighing, Asra fills a jug and starts to water. 

“Aurex… you’re probably exhausted.” He looks over his shoulder at me, lips lifting into a tired smile. “You want to go lie down inside? There’s a bed in there. Once I tend to these, I’ll join you.” 

I nod blearily, passing through a magic barrier and a bead curtain to a room cast in the warm light of sunrise. I barely notice my familiar stretched out in front of a dark fireplace before my eyes land on the bed and make a beeline for it, shucking off my bag and shoes as I go. 

++++

Warm rays across my face stir me from slumber sometime around noon. Asra is still sleeping, face buried in his arm. Slow shadows from the hanging ornaments in the window glide softly over his features. 

What was I dreaming about? Something interesting, I think. Something important. But I can’t remember it. It probably had to do with him, I suppose, as I watch Asra’s eyelashes flutter and his breath deepen as he starts to wake. He rolls his shoulders with a groan and opens his eyes. Whatever I must look like, the sight of me makes him smile. 

“Mmm… morning,” he mumbles. “How’d you sleep? You were talking a little when I came in. I couldn’t really make it out.” Talking? Not unusual for me, and we both know that. I turn to him, and he rests his chin on his hand. “Something about… just the two of us.” 

It comes back to me in a flash. 

_“Just the two of you… always just the two of you. When he’s with you, nothing else matters. Now it’s only a matter of time. Before you vanish into your world together.”_

I blink rapidly, and Asra’s brows are high in his charmingly tousled hair. “You okay?” 

“I think I had a bad dream.” 

Asra frowns, shifting to prop himself up on his elbows. “Aww, about what?” 

I shake my head, mirroring his frown but for a different reason. “I can’t… really remember. Something about vanishing into our world together.” It’s not something that sounds that bad, in theory, I don’t guess, but I can’t shake the feeling that the dream was a warning. 

“Hmm. That doesn’t sound so bad to me.” He blinks like he’s unsure if he spoke aloud and rolls onto his back to stare at the ceiling. “Well, we should eat. I’ll see what’s in the kitchen.” 

There’s a cupboard set in the wall opposite the bed. While Asra rummages through it, I get up and look around. It wasn’t just outside. The whole room is full of plants, succulents of every type, some I’ve only seen in books. The pots are decorated with charms, or painted in swirling patterns with magical power. Reminds me of home, actually. 

Asra’s voice draws me from my exploration, and I look over to find him gesturing with a jar of spices. “So, we’ve got all these sweet spices, these cardamoms… better than the ones we have at home. And rice. I could make rice pudding?” 

My stomach gurgles in interest. Grinning, Asra starts gathering the necessary bowls and hands me the cardamom pods. “It’s gonna be a good batch. Do you want to do the grinding? Mortar and pestle are on the windowsill.” 

The tools are where he says, on the sill lined with little clay animals. Their faces are expressive, colors bright. They remind me of ones he’s brought me before, after a journey. An owl, a snake, a fox. 

Asra emerges from the cupboard with all the necessary ingredients and follows my gaze. “Wow, it’s already beautiful outside. It’s gonna be a hot one.” 

As he settles against the counter beside me, I grind the cardamom pods. The air fills with their divine aroma. 

“Hmm. I need to come up with a way to work your magic today,” he ponders aloud. “Environment is key. If you want, you could go ahead outside. Do some deep breathing. I should have this ready in a little while. Or…” Asra bumps my shoulder lightly. “You could stay in here and lend me a hand. I wouldn’t mind the company.” 

“I’d rather keep you company,” I say, passing off the ground spice. 

“Really? Wow, lucky me… ahh, do you want to start the fire?” He beckons me to the hearth and watches intently as I exhale, close my eyes and snap my fingers. 

“Perfect. Well, after what I saw out of you last night, this little flame is nothing. That was amazing.” He’s warm as he leans into me, pride glittering in his eyes and affectionate words. “Oh, hold on, let me get the milk.” 

Brushing his fingers over mine, he gets up to rummage through his bag, returning with a charmed glass flask. Once he gets to stirring, I linger at his side until I’m resting my chin on his shoulder, my arms around him. His curls tickle my cheek as he turns his head, giving me a sidelong glance. 

“Are you starving? Here, tell me how it’s tasting.” He blows softly over the spoon and holds it out for me. The scent is irresistible. The taste… “What do you think?” 

“More sugar.” 

“Really? All right?” He leans back into me as he reaches for the jar. Once he has it, he catches my eye and blinks, flushing. “You know, I didn’t use to like sweet things like this. Now I crave them. Even more when I’m on the road… probably because I’m missing you.” 

I’m resigned to feeling warm at the ears as he starts spooning more sugar into the pudding. He’s teasing me. “Looks like I succeeded in corrupting you then,” I murmur against his shoulder. As soon as he turns, I steal a kiss on his cheek. To tease him, I guess, since it makes him fumble the sugar. 

“Oops. Well, this might be the sweetest thing I’ve ever tasted… Second sweetest.” His gaze slides to me pointedly, grinning as my ears start to burn. How embarrassing. “Sorry, sorry. I just wanted to see if I would get another kiss.” 

Unbelievable. I hold his face in both hands and bring his lips to mine. His grin melts into a tender kiss. How long have I wondered about this? What it would be like if I could kiss him as I pleased? I couldn’t have imagined the fullness in my chest when he turns in my arms to kiss me more easily. 

“Mmm,” he hums, looking very much like a satisfied cat when we pull away. “So sweet.” 

I laugh and press a quick kiss to the end of his nose when I hear Senka in my head. 

_“Saps.”_ But she doesn’t sound annoyed, in fact, she sounds happy. 

Glancing back at her where she has hijacked the bed for herself, I lift a shoulder. So, what if we're sappy? I’m too content to care at the moment. When I turn back to Asra, he’s glancing between the two of us curiously. 

“Let’s eat,” I say, deciding not to explain, and move to gather up the dinnerware. The mismatched bowls Asra serves give off fragrant steam in the sunlight. As we sit down outside to eat, he gets to talking about the future again. 

“Auri, this is just the beginning. There’s so many places I’ve gone without you.” 

I glance up at him under my lashes, raising a brow. “Places you’ve gone without me?” 

Asra smiles indulgently. “Places we haven’t gone together, yet.” 

I like the sound of that a lot better. Doesn’t make it sound like his trips were lacking just because I wasn’t there. 

When we finish eating, we stand up and bring our bowls to the basin. 

He stares at the basin for a moment before looking over to me. “Hey… want to try some magic? You saw what I did this morning, right? When we arrived. Turning the sand into water.” I’ve seen him do that before, but I’ve never been able to pull it off. We didn’t push it. “It’s not something everyone can do; I found out. But I wonder if you could try it again.” 

It makes sense, Asra’s magic is like water. Mine is nebulous, undeveloped, and yet… I want to try again. 

Gesturing to the dirt, Asra says, “Here, imagine this dry earth has a seed inside. It needs water to sprout. Now hold your hands over, and imagine surrounding the seed with water.” 

Lifting my hands above the basin, I try to do as he instructs. The dirt swells, bulges and gives a dry belch. Asra pats my arm in encouragement. 

“Not bad! Try to imagine the feeling of water under your palms. Ah…” It looks convincingly like water. When I try to run my fingers through it, it’s still sand. “A strong start. Maybe it’ll help if you feel it first.” 

He lays his hands on top of mine, and I feel his magic flowing along my skin, rushing through my veins. I close my eyes and visualize it, and before I know it, I feel the sensation of surface tension clinging to my palms. Asra leans into my back, and I’m surrounded by his aura. My eyes are closed, but my view swims with glittering colors and light. 

_“Somebody is coming this way.”_ The beast’s voice makes my eyes snap open and look its direction. 

Smooth hands and aura slide away from me as Asra falls back, peering curiously into the distance. “Coming this way? Weird…” 

I scan the horizon, and sure enough, there’s a figure approaching off a narrow dirt road, wringing their hands in desperation. They look lost until they do a double take in our direction. Then they come jogging toward us, wheezing. 

“Oh, great wizard Asra!” they say, “You’re back! Do you remember me?” 

I glance over at Asra, barely suppressing my smirk at the stranger’s greeting. Great wizard? That hardly sounds like something Asra would have come up with himself. I _absolutely_ have to hear the story behind it later. 

Asra is peering at the person curiously. “Maybe I do. Who’s asking?” 

“You don’t remember? Saguaro! We met at the painted daisy festival?” 

That seems to make something click for Asra. “Ohhh Saguaro? Wow, it’s uh… it’s been a while. How have you been?” 

Saguaro seems to deflate some. “I’m getting by. Shriveled up. Been coming by every now and again, hoping you’d be around. Great wizard, you are our only hope. The spring has gone dry. We won’t last much longer… Times are tough, so we don’t have a lot to spare. All I can offer is a hot meal and a night of music.” 

“Well, that all sounds good, but we did have plans. It’s up to my companion here.” His curious gaze falls on me, and the visitor studies me for the first time, with great interest. “What do you think? What do you want to do?” 

“Let’s go.” Our visitor visibility glows at my response and Asra gives me a soft look of affection. He knew what I’d say before he even asked. 

“Oh, Auri. Always with your head on straight.” He turns to address Saguaro. “Sounds like you’re in luck, friend.” 

“Woah, really?” they gape. “Such kind wizards, I totally thought it was gonna be harder than that! You guys are something else. Both of you. I get some really powerful vibes off you.” 

“You’re perceptive. I’ll be right back.” 

Sighing, Asra retrieves our things from inside, Senka at his side, and we follow Saguaro off down the dusty road. 

We arrive at a sunbaked town rippling in the midday heat. Goats and the occasional cow lie passed out in the shade. The townsfolk barely look when we pass, slumped in stoops to escape the blazing, unforgiving light. In the middle of the square is the remnant of a shallow pool with troughs spreading out like rays, all long dry. 

Stopping in his tracks, Asra stares at the sight before us. “This is where it was? The spring?” 

Saguaro nods slowly. “Yup. You wouldn’t know it, but it used to bubble up from the middle there.” 

Asra bites his lip in thought, throwing a leg over the edge of the empty pool, beckoning me to follow. At the center, where the spring should be, is hard red earth. Asra and I drop down to our knees. 

“Hmm. Dry as a bone… do you feel movement underneath?” he inquires. 

Under his watchful eye, I lay my hands on the splintered earth. I can’t feel the water. I close my eyes and see red, and nothing else. Slowly, I nod. There’s something wrong here. The ground is dry. I seek deeper under the dirt… there’s movement, shimmering. But it doesn’t sound like water. It sounds like something else I can’t place. 

“Oh, we’re drawing a crowd…” Opening my eyes, I notice Asra is glancing around the well. There’s apprehension in his eyes when he looks back to me. “Aurex, I have a bad feeling about this. I’d rather you left this one to me.” 

I shake my head sharply, scowling. “Let me help you.” 

Asra sighs and nods, laying his hands down next to mine and letting his awareness sink into the earth. “It’s there. Movement. You felt it?” I nod. He casts his gaze down at the ground and searches further. 

“But not water. That sound… it feels more like—” 

Out of nowhere, the ground starts to violently shake. That’s our only warning, and in that moment, my eyes find his just before a massive spout of red erupts from the ground, glimmering in the sunlight, stretching high into the sky. 

In a moment of fear for our lives, I thought the fountain that spewed up from the ground was fire, but there is no heat. Only a storm of chittering movement and gleaming, vibrant red that grows to darken the sky. 

Insects. That’s what the sound had been. I stagger back, watching as they stream up from the earth. When the last of them has emerged, the whole swarm disperses to the east. Asra looks unsure if it was a hallucination. 

“Aurex!” He leaps to my side in a flash and grasps my shoulders, searching my face with desperate eyes. He must find what he’s looking for since he exhales deeply and sweeps me into his arms. 

Puzzled, I return his embrace, tightening my hold at his shaky breath by my ear. I glance questioningly at where Senka is standing against the wall of the spring, but she merely offers the mental equivalent of a shrug. But something seems off about her response. Paying attention to her, I almost miss the gasps of the crowd. 

“I don’t believe it!” Saguaro breaths out. “Magicians! The spring!” 

Asra pulls back, confusion knitting his brows. “The spring…” His gaze drops to our feet. They’re already soaked. The spring is bubbling up beneath us. We stumble out the quickly filling pool as the townsfolk rejoice around the spring. 

Saguaro quickly appears beside us. “Thank you, great wizards! We won’t forget this! Please, let us cook you up a feast like you wouldn’t believe.” 

As we’re dragged into a jostling, gracious embrace, I chance a glance at Asra… He’s laughing. Happiness blooms in my chest as we are swept away to celebrate. 

While the feast is prepared, Asra and I are invited by an artist to select one of the clay animals he likes. I’m surprised how long we spend trying to choose, more surprised when he doesn’t choose the snake. 

“It didn’t look like Faust. I wonder how she’s doing at the palace.” He looks a little sad for a moment at the thought, but then he grins and holds up the figure he chose. “Besides, I identify with this one.” 

It’s an indigo fox that looks like him in the expression. I couldn’t find one that I identified with or one that even looked like Senka. Though based on the looks the artist was giving her while we were choosing, I wouldn’t be surprised if there were some jaguar figurines in the next batch. 

“Wizards!” Saguaro calls out to us. “The food is hot. Come pile your platter high.” 

“Yesssss.” Almost as if he’s being pulled by a string at the mention of food, Asra turns on his heel and heads toward Saguaro. 

We make our way to a firepit in the ground, and the moderate crowd parts for us. Asra seems embarrassed. 

“Smells great. I can’t wait to eat it alone under that aloe tree.” He gathers four grilled cactus from the fire pit and weaves through the townsfolk to find a more private spot. 

When I step up to the fire, Saguaro heaps food onto my plate with a sparkling smile. “Say Aurex, once everybody’s fed, we’re going to break out a couple instruments. Do you dance like your companion? I’ve feasted with Asra before. He can dance all night.” 

He can? I had no idea. He’s never danced with me before… I cast a glance at him over there under the tree. Seems like I’ll have to change that. 

Turning back to Saguaro, I offer them a smile. “I love dancing actually. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to see if my companion is willing to show me this dancing of his.” I go to stand over Asra where he sits on the ground. His gaze is soft, distant. 

“You’ve been holding out on me, Asra,” I bend over to place my plate next to Senka before standing to place my hands on my hips and fixing him with a look. “Saguaro says that you can dance all night. So, do you want to dance with me?” 

“Sorry, what?” Asra blinks rapidly, clearly coming back to the here and now. “I was communicating with Faust. Nadia’s wondering about us to Portia at the palace. Do you know a Portia?” 

I nod in answer to his question and repeat my own. “Do you want to dance with me?” 

“Oh… that really is what you said. I thought I imagined it.” Asra looks up at me with a grin. “You want to dance? I’d love to.” 

Soon the music starts up and his eyes light up as he leads me to edge of the gathering crowd. Arms around me. Fingers weaving with mine, pulling me in. The way he dances is so easy for me to follow. Like he knows the way I move. 

We dance until we’re glowing before we sneak back to the spot under the aloe tree to finish our meals. 

Shortly after, Saguaro joins us. “Thank you a million times again, wizards. I am most delighted that you hung around.” 

“Well, I am most delighted with this food. It wasn’t any trouble, Saguaro” Asra tells them. “Although I won’t speak for Aurex. Beetles were a surprise.” 

For the first time since the spring returned, our host’s smile drops. “Beetles… I was hoping I could tell you. Years ago, some Vesuvians came through town, stayed a couple days. They kept offering us protection in exchange for a third of the cactus crop.” 

Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Asra tense up slightly, but he clasps his hands together in an attempt to mask it. 

Saguaro continues the tale. “We declined, and sometime in the night… they say some kind of a giant red beetle descended on the town. Came out of nowhere. And the Vesuvians offered to take care of it, in exchange for two-thirds of the cactus crop. 

“It was Count Lucio who took it on. When he struck the killing blow, it just…” They mime an explosion with their hands. “Turned into a million little ones, and they burrowed into the ground. The Count called it a day.” 

“And the spring’s been dry ever since?” Asra asks, leaning forward. “For that long?” 

Our host nods, the enthusiasm from earlier returning. “But now it’s come back! The Count is gone, and things are finally turning around!” 

“Yeah…” A strained laugh comes from Asra as he stands suddenly, brushing sand from his pants before offering me a hand. “Well, we should get going. Thanks for the meal, Saguaro.” 

Our goodbyes are rushed as we slip away relatively unnoticed. He pointedly ignores my questioning looks as I walk beside him. To my surprise, the beast is waiting for us outside. Brooding in silence, Asra helps me up onto its back, and we gallop off into the sunset. 

++++

When we return to the succulent house, the beast gives a thirsty groan, swishing its tail. 

_“Water.”_

“Of course. You too, Aurex?” Asra goes to the basin, and I follow, wanting to try doing it on my own again. I think he has the same idea. The wide bowl is dry as bone again after a day in the heat. 

Asra takes a moment to think before we start. “This is a little different from what we practiced before. But I couldn’t stop wondering earlier. I’m always giving you words to think about, but obviously, the strongest spells are words of your own. So, this time, try to empty your mind. The words will come.” 

Conscious of his gentle gaze, I place my hands over the bowl. I let my eyes slip closed, and become aware of my other senses, one by one. The scent of night air fills my lungs, and the scent of Asra’s hair lights up some part of my heart. It helps that it’s so quiet out here as I start to relax, palms hovering over the basin. I imagine the feel of water. The sounds of water… being surrounded by water. 

When I open my eyes, a tremor runs through my body from my fingers to my toes. I made the water manifest. I’ve never done that before… but something went wrong. Though I can see clear to the bottom, the water is red. I don’t want to touch it, much less drink. 

“Aurex…” Asra says quietly. “Do you remember what you were thinking?” 

“…Being surrounded by water,” I answer without dragging my gaze from the tinted water. 

“Surrounded… interesting.” He pauses for a moment, making me look over at him. “You know… we did just get surrounded by beetles. They were red. It’s probably fresh in your mind. It’s definitely fresh in mine. Don’t worry, okay?” 

He passes a hand over the basin, and the red goes clear. The beast drops its head into the bowl to drink, and Senka joins it. I watch them drink until I notice that Asra has headed inside without a word. It’s cool inside. Asra has taken off his coat and lit a lantern by the foot of the bed. 

“I know I told you not to worry, but…” He lifts his head once I’m near enough, his voice hushed. “Those beetles are a sign. I haven’t seen one in years, not since right before… well. They used to be a real problem in Vesuvia, and they’re not of this world, but they can pass through it. And cause a lot of damage when they do. 

“We… should head back to the city.” He sighs deeply, shoulders rising and sinking, and stands. The sight of me makes him smile. His eyes are warm as he cups my face in his hands, brushing his thumbs under my weary eyes. 

“It’s kind of cruel, having such a short escape. I wish we could stay longer. Oh well. Someday we’ll have time…” Carefully, he takes both of my hands, brings them to his lips and presses a lingering kiss. 

“So, we go back sooner rather than later. It’s not like we could stay away forever.” He looks like he almost wants to say something, but I speak again before he gets the chance. “But we do have time right now.” 

His face lights up, losing some of the lost look he had. “I was hoping you might say something like that. That’s fine with me. We’ll be in bad shape if we don’t rest, anyway.” 

Asra turns the lamp down low, a simmering purple flame, and falls back onto the bed. I hear his boots hit the floor as he toes them off, and sit down on the bed to remove my shoes. Once my aching feet are free, I lean back on my elbows, not quite lying beside him yet. I’m unsure. 

“We barely slept this morning. How are you feeling?” Asra asks. 

Exhausted, but I’m not ready to sleep yet. Not when the moonlight is casting such lovely shadows on his languid form. “A little cold.” 

“Cold? Aw, why didn’t you say so?” He opens his arms to pull me in, so we lie side by side, running his hands up and down my back to warm me. 

“Is that better? It does get chilly pretty fast once the sun goes down. I didn’t even notice…” His voice takes on a quieter tone as he leans his head against mine. “I’ve been warm ever since we ate. And I got to hold onto you the whole way back. So, I’ve got plenty of heat. Have as much as you need.” 

I snort with laughter when he gathers me closer to his side, tucking my head under his chin. His fingers come to caress my jaw and tilt it upward, so we’re looking eye to eye. 

“What… I’m serious. Whatever I can spare, whatever you need. Take.” 

Struck with the full force of his loving gaze, I feel my heart hammer against my chest. “I just need you.” 

He blinks, lost for words. Under my wandering touch, I feel the heat creeping up his neck and shoulders. I’m caught by surprise when he plants a hand on the other side of my head and swings a knee over my thighs. 

“You have me.” 

I curl my fingers into the front of his shirt. “I do?” 

“Yes,” he breathes. I pull him down and kiss the playful curve of his lips. Sighing, he turns his face to meet me fully and shifts to straddle my legs. My mouth starts to feel soft and warm, tingling where he licks my upper lip and caresses up and down my arms. 

“Aurex…” Gentle fingers card through my hair when he pulls back. “I’m not going anywhere. Do you understand?” 

I think I might. He did an amazing job of hiding it, but it’s obvious that Asra cares for me. So much that he must have felt this way for some time. As our lips find each other again, I wonder how long. It’s thrilling to imagine what we might have had… The bed we shared could have been warm with affection like this, every night. 

Not that we didn’t share affection before, but now I can feel how much he must have been holding back. It doesn’t take long before the kiss gets hungry and his hands start to massage my hips and sides. 

“How can I bring you back there?” The question is breathless, out of nowhere as he rears back, hovering over me, flushed and eyes gleaming. “How can I put you in danger, when I don’t know how dangerous it’s going to be? If I bring you back and something happens to you…” 

Ah. The palace. He’s still worried about taking me back. I weave my fingers together behind his head, thumbs stroking the tight muscle there. 

“You’re strong. So am I. And we’re stronger together than apart, right?” 

He tilts his head slightly as he answers, “Yes. Infinitely.” 

“Then are you really thinking of going back without me?” I ask. 

“Of course not.” 

I move my hands to cup his face. “Then relax, Asra. I know it’s hard, but you’re getting worked up over things that might not happen.” 

“I know.” He moves to lie down and rests his head on my shoulder. Though he hasn’t relaxed in the process. 

My fingers trace down the arm he has thrown across my stomach in soothing patterns. “And even if something _did_ happen, it doesn’t mean it would be your fault. You can’t protect me from everything. You don’t have to.” 

He sighs as he shifts to hold me closer, eyes slipping shut. I lay there a bit longer, idly wondering what happened in the past to make Asra so worried before I let mine close, and I’m lost to sleep. 

I’m dreaming. I’m at the top of a craggy peak, looking down. 

“Just the two of you… just like before.” 

I thought I was alone, but a voice like gravel rumbles behind me. “Hello?” I call out. 

“Nothing else matters… only a matter of time.” There’s a hulking figure, back turned, muttering over the ground, casting stones. I approach the figure. I want to see what the stones are saying. I want to hear more clearly. 

“No. Not this time.” The stranger turns to face me, looming over me with a silhouette like a standing bear, making me feel small. “You won’t disappear together. I won’t let you.” 

I startle awake and lie there for several moments, trying to dislodge the same feeling of foreboding I had earlier this morning. Two odd dreams in the same day. Why can’t I ever have normal dreams? 

Staring up at the ceiling, Senka’s drowsy voice drags me from my thoughts. _“Okay?”_

“Yeah,” I whisper, barely disturbing the quiet. I can’t see her, but I know she’s lying on the floor on the other side of the bed. Shifting, I nuzzle into Asra’s hair, who thankfully didn’t wake even though he's still laying on my chest, and close my eyes. My sleep is dreamless. 

++++

The beast is curled up in a familiar way on top of the low hill nearby when Asra and I go wake it. 

“Sorry to do this again so soon,” Asra apologizes, scratching the beast’s head when it appears. 

It stands, stretching its legs, and turns to let us climb on. _“No trouble. I want to run.”_

I don’t need Asra’s help to get on this time, but I take his hand nonetheless. The temperature has dropped, but his touch is just as warm. He is breathtaking in the moonlight. 

Arms snake around my waist as he leans into me. “Hold on tight.” 

Bracing against the wind, we race across the desert the way we came. Back to Vesuvia. 


	11. The Hermit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hadn't expected to get this far behind on updates, but here it is finally. I was actually quite surprised to get so many subscriptions/hits during the down time, so thank you to all of you continued to pay attention to this despite my temporary disappearance. I don't know how long it will take me to catch up, but hopefully it won't be a long time again.  
> Also, I know I add the premium scenes into the chapters and that could very well be the draw for some of you, but the scene with the Magician and Asra won't be included in this chapter because it didn't fit Aurex's character and, frankly, I was not fond of it.

I squint into the midmorning sun, trying to make out the palace as Asra, Senka, and I arrive in the fields outside of Vesuvia. I’m yawning, covered in shaggy beast hairs. Asra is the same. He drinks half the water and passes it to me. While I drain the rest, I fixate on the gleam of the sun off his eyelashes as he peers out toward the palace. 

“Huh. Look at that.” 

Despite the blazing daylight where we are walking, the palace towers are gathering dark, rosy clouds. Even here the air is churning, heavy, charged with energy. I think it might be about to storm. 

“You know, Aurex…” Asra starts, “we don’t necessarily have to go straight to the palace. We could… go home and rest. Passing out on the ride back can only do so much for you. We should probably sleep for real.” 

His purple gaze slides from me to the palace and back to me. The clouds are darkening, but not where we are yet. “So, we’ll be well-rested when we present ourselves to Nadia. We shouldn’t underestimate her. She’s taken care of things for this long, after all…” 

He slows our steady pace to a stop and turns to me, waiting for my call. 

“We should go to the palace,” I say. I don’t think Asra truly wants to delay getting to the palace, he’s just looking to extend the relative peace we experienced while away. A sentiment I understand, but nothing good will come of delaying. 

Asra sighs, still looking worried. “We should. I would rather crawl into bed for a week, but those beetles we saw… If we tell Nadia about them before they get here, she may come up with a plan. She always does. We’ll need to tell her what we know about… that goat, too.” 

I doubt Nadia is going to be happy to hear about either one of these problems. One is the potential herald of the plague and the other… The other I’m not quite sure what will come of it. “The Countess won’t be pleased.” 

“If her intuition is what it used to be, she may already know,” he offers. 

The fields give way to the forest. We’re lucky, it’s going to rain any minute. I bump into Asra’s side when he stops walking and blinks. I open my mouth to ask him why when Faust shoots out of the grass. She wiggles all over his surprised, twisting form, climbing him to curl in a tight pile on top of his head. 

_“Found you!”_ she says by way of greeting as laughter bursts from Asra. 

“Stop,” he pleads half-heartedly, making no move to stop her. 

With a celebratory trill of her tongue, Faust stills and peeks around at me, sending me a wave of wordless contentment. 

“Well, now that everybody is accounted for… We’re heading back to the palace.” Faust seems to silently question the decision and Asra nods. “I know. Blame Auri for being responsible,” he says, gently ribbing me. 

I scoff delicately, feigning offense. “One of us has to be.” 

Thunder shakes the sky, interrupting whatever Asra had to say, and leaves the treetops shivering. There’s a big storm coming. 

“Can you feel the ground moving? Every creature in the forest is finding shelter.” He looks excited. His hair rises in the humid air while Faust ducks under his collar. When he weaves his fingers through mine, my heart surges to life, thrumming in my chest. “There’s a place we can hide, where my friend lives. It’s not far. We can wait it out there.” 

The clouds break, bringing a torrential downpour down on our heads. Hand in hand, we escape to find shelter, Senka streaking through the trees ahead of us. I find I don’t mind the rain when we’re running, even when it streams down my face. Asra definitely likes it. He grins at me as we rush from under one tree to the next, dodging the heavy drops that penetrate the canopy. 

Soon we reach a slumped structure, half buried under the roots of a twisting tree. It doesn’t look very welcoming. I draw close to Asra’s side, absorbing his warmth as he traces glowing patterns in the grain of the door. 

“Your friend practices magic?” 

“Yes, these things are his strong suit. Locks, barriers, protections…” Asra studies the door for a moment, his brow knitting together. “Some of these are new…” 

A hot whisper of magic rushes around our ankles, making me shiver in my wet clothes. As soon as it’s open, we stumble through the door and into the dark. The air is still and even colder inside. The ceiling is natural in form. It’s hard to make out any furnishings. 

Asra casts an impressive orb of light that illuminates a modest single room, shrinking it to surround us. “Is that your teeth chattering? Let’s get a log in the fireplace.” 

I crouch before the hearth. There is a single log leaning on its side, dusty and forgotten. 

“Aurex? Would you like to light it?” Asra lays the log in the hearth and presents it to me. A smile tickles the corner of my mouth as I move my hand over it. On the first try, it sparks and catches. We settle as close as possible to the growing blaze. 

“Are you… wondering who this friend is that you’ve never heard of until now?” Asra asks quietly after several minutes of nothing but the sound of Senka grooming herself, a frown tugging at his lips. “It’s complicated, but he’s under a spell. A lot like you. Instead of forgetting, he’s forgotten. Nobody remembers meeting him. So, you’ll be meeting him for the first time… again. I’m glad. He’s my oldest friend.” 

My heart stutters. He wants to introduce me to his oldest friend… that I’ve already met. “I’m nervous. Happy, but nervous.” At least this time I’m aware I’ve already met him and won’t have to deal with the anxiety of wondering if we knew each other before. 

“Are you worried you won’t get along? Don’t worry, Auri. He doesn’t do well with meeting new people. But he already knows you.” He leans languidly into my side, his wet hair licking at my ear. “You’ve gotten _me_ to open up. If anyone can get him to open up, it’s you. Anyway… his name is Muriel.” 

“Muriel…” I taste the name out. Asra watches carefully as I let it echo in my mind. He moves to sit face to face with me and reaches for my hands, blowing softly on my fingertips to warm them. 

“Ringing any bells?” 

“Yes.” It’s right at the edge of my mind, but it’s so frustrating to not be able to remember when it’s so close. 

He hums in thought. “Then maybe his spell might be slipping on you.” 

The log is fully engulfed in flame now. I’ll be warm soon, but not soon enough. I burrow against Asra’s side, relishing his heat through our dripping clothes. He welcomes me under his arm. Soon, Faust slides out of his sleeve, languid with the cold and lays herself out at the edge of the hearth near Senka. 

“Careful. Don’t get too close,” Asra warns teasingly. 

Faust scoots as close as she dares before responding. _“Warm.”_

“That looks nice.” Asra’s smile is resplendent in the firelight. His gaze lands on me, glimmering through his dripping hair. “I wish I could do the same, but we need more wood. That log is going to burn down fast. The woodshed is kind of far away, but I’m not feeling the cold. I’ll bring back plenty.” 

He kisses my knuckles and releases my hands to the frigid, unforgiving air. “You three keep warming up. I’ll be back soon.” 

I can already feel a chill settling in. I feel much better when I start shucking off my sopping clothes. Dropping my sash and pants to the floor, I feel eyes on me and find the source. Asra lingers with his hand already on the door, his boots dangling from his other hand. His gaze consumes me with a flash of heat. 

“Don’t tempt me,” he implores, but there is no conviction behind the words. 

My grin grows. It’s silly, but I’m enjoying having this much of an effect on him. As much we’ll need more wood later, I can’t help but stretch out in front of the hearth, patting the floor beside me. “Come lay by the fire, Asra.” 

“Oh, how could I resist…” he says without a second of hesitation. Anticipation bubbles in my chest as he crosses the room in three steps and collapses to lie beside me. His arms wind loosely around my shoulders as he touches his forehead to mine. Up close, his eyes reflect countless dancing flames. 

Surprise colors his voice as he pulls me closer. “And how did you get this cold? You’re so cold.” 

I shrug, thinking our run through the rain should have made it clear. “I didn’t really feel it.” 

“You didn’t?” Asra jerks when I place my feet against his calves. “Your toes are freezing.” 

I hum my agreement. “That happens when you wear sandals, you know. Nothing to protect my poor toes from the elements.” I giggle as his bare feet brush against mine, equally cold. “What’s your excuse?” 

He tilts his head to kiss me deeply. The caress of his lips draws tingling warmth to my cheeks, my mouth, my neck. I’m flabbergasted when he breaks away. 

“Let me get some of these clothes off.” His gaze lifts to the bed nearby. “And grab one of those furs. I feel bad disturbing the bed, but half of those are mine.” 

I lay flat on the floor, heart pumping, the dry heat from the fire starting to melt the chill from my back. Asra sheds his wet garments with a shudder and hangs them and mine over the fireplace to dry. The aromatic fur he pulls over from the bed feels heavenly as he wraps it around us and I burrow under his chin. 

When Asra speaks, I feel his words as much as hear them. “This is so nostalgic. In the winter we spent all day like this, sometimes.” 

“You and Muriel?” I mumble against his neck. 

Asra makes an affirmative noise. “That was back when _we_ still barely knew each other.” 

I pull back from his chest, my brows furrowing. “You and me?” 

“Yeah,” he nods, something distant in his eyes. “When I started living here, I wondered if I’d ever see you again. I would have done anything to be here with you, like this.” 

When I lean into him, the fur slips off my shoulder. Asra pulls it back in place, touch lingering at my ear. I can feel his body heat more deeply as he draws me closer, bringing our lips together for a languid kiss. A sweet sense of calm settles over me, but my energy is steadily growing. I could stay like this forever. 

When we break apart, Asra traces over my features with gentle fingers and gleaming eyes. 

“Like what you see?” I tease. 

“Do you even have to ask?” His arms around my waist draw me flush against him all the way down to the knee as he peppers my face in kisses. “I loooove what I see,” he singsongs in between kisses before his eyes widen. “Uh. I mean-” 

Biting his lip, he looks away, a flush burning under his eyes as I replay his words in my head. If Asra thought he was being subtle about the fact that he cares deeply for me, he’s wrong. A fond smile curls my lips that he’ll never see since he’s looking desperately for anything but my face to look at. 

“Oh. The fire’s almost out,” he says when he finally finds something, _anything,_ to focus on. 

Taking pity on him, I turn to look at the fire and it’s true, it is almost out. When my eyes land on Faust, she is turned considerately away on a snoozing jaguar, with a sly smile. 

Asra extracts himself from me and walks over to our drying clothes. “I’d better go get more. Here, put this on. It can get chilly in here fast.” 

The coat and scarf smell of fire as Asra winds them around my neck and shoulders and plants a kiss on my brow. “There. Cozy. I’ll be right back, okay? Don’t you two stop being adorable.” He turns to our familiars curled up together, before meeting my eyes. “And don’t open the door.” 

“Not even for you?” 

He shakes his head vigorously. “Especially not for me. I’ll open it myself. If I can’t do that… it isn’t me.” 

That makes a shiver run down my spine. Faust and I look at each other, and Asra slips out the door. The fire will be low soon, then the room will be cast in total darkness. I cup my palms together and gather a weak light. Faust slides over to me and her head at the crook of my elbow and winds up my arm as I get to my feet, Asra’s half-dry coat swinging around me. There are ragged cobwebs in every corner and an earthy smell… it reminds me of someone. 

A miserable howl echoes through the forest, and Faust’s idly curling tail goes still. Even Senka raises her head, ears perked. A wolf? It’s a good thing I don’t have to worry about Asra. Animals love him. 

My teeth start chattering again, and I realize the fire is down to a glow. I keep moving, cursing that we haven’t eaten much yet, so I could warm myself with magic. In one direction, the light in my palms gets bigger. I follow its lead to a nook in the corner of the room. There is an alcove carved in the wall, with a figure of a bear inside. The energy around it is achingly familiar. 

As I’m reaching for the figurine the door flies open, striking the wall with a thunderous boom. The shape in the doorway casts a mighty, unforgiving shadow. Intense eyes pierce me from beneath a heavy brow. There is a wolf, so silent I didn’t notice at first, with jowls bloody and hackles high by the newcomer’s side. 

Is this… Muriel? His mossy stare slides from me to the figurine. 

_“Don’t touch that.”_ In one stride he is across the room, looming over me like a mountain gathering stormclouds at its peak. He doesn’t meet my eye, watching my hands for movement as if I’m about to strike. The smell of myrrh meets my nose. “You’re not welcome here.” 

Faust pops high behind my head, startling Muriel away. His vast shadow moves out of my path to the door just as Asra shoulders it open, arms laden with wood. 

“Who’s not welcome where?” he asks. He stands in the doorway, looking from Muriel to me to Faust to the wolf and back again to Muriel. “Muriel. You look well. You too, Inanna.” Worry makes him frown as he takes in the sight of the blood staining the wolf’s fur. “Did she… catch something?” 

“No.” Muriel draws back his heavy hood as the wolf skulks over to Asra and paws at his foot until he scratches her between the ears. So, she’s just like Senka in demanding scratches from him. “It got away. You look exhausted.” 

“I am. Aurex and I just got back from Nopal. The beast by the edge of the desert gave us a ride.” Turning to the wolf once more, Asra scratches between her round brows, peering into her intelligent eyes while I peel myself off the wall. “Inanna, what did you get a bite out of?” 

Muriel answers for her. “I didn’t see it. It ran by. She said it tasted foul.” 

Sneezing disdainfully, the wolf skulks past me to the pile of furs in the darkest corner of the room. When she passes, Faust goes limp around my neck and slithers in relief from my shoulders to Asra’s arm. 

“All right, well. Should we get introductions out of the way?” Asra smiles as he steps closer to where Muriel and I stand. “This is Muriel. Muriel, this is Aurex.” 

Asra’s gaze is encouraging, sliding between me and Muriel as we exchange a long, apprehensive look. It doesn’t seem like Muriel will be breaking the silence first, so I attempt it even though he doesn’t seem to like me that much. 

“I know you.” 

Surprise flashes across Muriel’s face. “Huh?” He swings his head over to Asra, giving him a questioning look. “It doesn’t work on her?” 

“What doesn’t work on me?” I hate how little my voice sounds as the words leave my mouth. Sometimes it’d be nice to just be normal, even if that normal means strange spells work on me like they’re supposed to. 

Shaking the thoughts from my head, I do know him, deep down. I have a feeling I’ve met him not just once or even a few times. Many times. But I can only bring to mind a handful of recent flashes of memory. Was it in dreams that we met before? It’s too easy to imagine his figure in familiar places. In town. In front of the shop. 

“It’s harder than usual to remember him, huh?” Asra asks me softly. “It’s not you. It’s the spell. Muriel’s curse.” 

“My gift,” Muriel corrects quickly. “It lets me be forgotten. Completely alone. Exactly like I wanted.” 

Asra glances at his friend, mild skepticism flashing in his eyes. “Uh-huh. People see him, can talk to him, but they don’t remember him when he leaves.” 

I know a spell that does something similar, it doesn’t take much magic. But all the time? I wonder what made him want that. Whatever kind of glance I send his way he doesn’t like. 

“Sorry we dropped in on you like this,” Asra says, attempting to dismiss whatever mood is going on. “Why don’t we heat up some water and clean Inanna’s face?” 

Muriel goes to fetch a spherical pot so heavy it scrapes the stone. Absently, I start the fire with a flick of my wrist. When I look up, I see that he is watching me, face stark in shadow. His smoky aura prickles with tension. He swings the pot over the fireplace and retreats to the corner where Inanna is lying in watch. 

Asra gives him a curious glance and crouches beside me, waving a hand over the pot to fill it with water. I whisper in his ear. 

“How do you know him?” 

A grin lights up Asra’s face. “Oh, we met a long time ago. It’s a funny story. I’ll tell you another time. He doesn’t like hearing it.” 

“It’s not a funny story,” Muriel grumbles from his corner, unable to fully ignore us in the small space. 

Leaning around me, Asra smirks at Muriel. “Well… maybe it will be someday. It’s only been, what? Fifteen years?” 

“Seventeen.” 

So, he’s known Asra longer than even my most distant memory. The stories they must share. But if I want to hear any of them, I imagine it won’t be from Muriel. He lingers in the corner, listening. 

“We lived around the wharf, mostly,” Asra elaborates for my benefit. “There were a lot of orphans living there back then. So, it was… hard to be lonely. And sleeping on the beach is fun when you’re a kid. It wasn’t so bad.” 

“It was bad. Kids are capable of fathomless cruelty.” Something about the way Muriel says that stirs up a wave of sympathy in me. 

Asra nods “That’s for sure. Especially when they’re hungry. Speaking of which… I don’t see any food anywhere.” 

Muriel shrugs at the statement. “I don’t have any food anywhere.” 

Without missing a beat, Asra rises from where we are kneeling and walks over to our bags. “Okay. Have you eaten today?” 

Muriel gradually comes closer to loom over Asra’s shoulder as he hunts for food in his bag. Meanwhile, the wolf comes trotting over to me, licking her lips. She regards me with insistent curiosity. Or maybe she’s trying to tell me to leave, which wouldn’t surprise me. Like Muriel, her aura is guarded and obscure. 

Slowly, I reach out to pet her, holding back until she allows me to. Her ears draw back, but she lets me stroke her stoic brow. I try scratching her between the ears the way Asra did. She leans into it, teeth flashing as she licks my wrist. Just when I think she might be satisfied, she collapses on the floor next to me with a grunt. Eyes on me, she waits for me to make some kind of move, lifting one leg in encouragement. When I scratch the fluff of her flank she makes a low groan and stretches her leg out to its full extension. 

Her noises draw the attention of Asra. “Oh, look who’s being friendly!” 

“Friendly?” Muriel wanders over, watching apprehensively as I smooth my hand over Inanna’s fur. 

“She’s nice,” I try, hoping to bridge some gap with Muriel. 

“She bites.” The look on Muriel’s face makes Inanna’s head draw back into her voluminous neck. 

Asra appears at Muriel’s side, offering him a bag of seems like jerky. “True, but she does love to be petted.” 

Muriel frowns while accepting the food. “Only when you spoil her.” 

“When I spoil her, huh?” Asra’s laugh bounces around the room. “Remember how you used to say that you let her take up half of the bed because you slept better on the floor?” 

Unless I’m mistaken, there’s faint color under Muriel’s eyes as he looks away. “The floor makes her joints ache.” 

I fight the grin that threatens to split my face. Turns out the three of us are complete suckers when it comes to our animals. Senka definitely gets a large share of the bed when she wants it. 

The wolf’s ribcage rises with a wistful sigh while I sift my fingers through her thick, sleek fur. When I try to stop, she rubs my wrist with her snout. Resigned, I settle on the floor beside her. With a ragged cloth dipped in warm water, Muriel starts to clean the blood from her mouth. Asra stares into the fire. 

“So, I’m trying to wrap my head around the idea that the goat is physical enough to bite. Before we left, it wasn’t physical enough to see. Have you checked the protections around this place?” he asks Muriel, eyes becoming focused again. 

“That’s what I was just doing. I sensed something unwelcome in the woods.” He casts a suspicious look in my direction. Perplexed, I look right back. 

Oblivious to the interaction between the two of us, Asra hums in thought. “Did you check all of them?” 

Muriel sighs. “Yes.” 

“Even the one at the top of the tree?” 

There’s a moment of silence. “No.” 

“Well. Let’s go check it. Aurex, are you warmed up?” Asra takes my hand with both of his on the pretense of checking my temperature. Muriel watches intently. 

“Put the fire out. It’s hot.” He trudges past us to go outside. Reluctantly, Asra releases my hand and I go to retrieve the rest of my clothes. Together we follow Muriel’s brooding back, out the door and into the lightly drizzling day. 

++++

Little light makes it through the canopy when it’s misty like this. The trees are like islands in the fog. Muriel walks a couple paces ahead of Asra and me, checking enchanted spots along our secretive, meandering route. Each stop has something to gather. Asra idly collects the berries, greens, herbs, and mushrooms. 

“You haven’t picked any of these?” he asks Muriel. “You love orange birch boletes…” 

“I can’t cook them like you.” Muriel stalks a little further in front of us. Asra falls into step beside me and speaks in a voice so low I can hardly hear. 

“I… never really told you about all this, did I? My childhood circumstances. Mine and his.” Asra glances at Muriel’s form as he puts distance between us. “It was hard. Nights where there was nowhere safe to rest, and we did everything we could to not sleep. Having this place out here to stay changed the whole world for us.” 

His dreamy, distant look is haunting in the fog. I wonder if this expression has been with him since then. 

“Good thing you had each other,” I say, bumping his shoulder gently with mine. 

Asra smiles as his gaze focuses back on me. “Yeah. It was a good thing. It was definitely harder for both of us alone. No one makes it on their own, Aurex. Everybody needs somebody.” 

To my surprise, he reaches for my hand, weaving his fingers securely with mine. “Auri. One reason I haven’t talked about my past is that yours is still hidden from you. I… guess I didn’t want you to feel alone.” 

Before I can say anything, Muriel comes to a halt ahead of us. “Stop. We’re here.” 

We stand at the base of an old, sturdy tree. Asra takes Muriel’s cloak while he wraps his hands with leather. He places his hand on Muriel’s forearm to catch his attention. “Don’t look down.” 

Muriel mumbles something, ears reddening as he starts to scale the broad trunk. I look up into the branches… it’s tall. Asra wraps the weatherproof cloak around us, and we respectfully avert our gazes until Muriel is out of earshot. 

“You know,” Asra starts, “all of that being said… I worry about him.” 

I glance up the tree again, the only sign of Muriel is his steady grunting and shaking of the trunk. He seems more than capable of taking care of himself. Well, for the most part, there wasn’t any food in his house after all. 

“He never liked being around other people. But he didn’t hate them. Until Lucio came along.” The utter contempt in Asra’s tone makes me look back at him. Lucio? What could the Count have to do with any of this? “Muriel had to do a lot of things for him that he didn’t want to do. That I didn’t know about. To protect me. And of course, he didn’t know about the things I was doing… For Lucio, to protect him.” 

Whatever daylight still filters through is smothered by the rolling clouds. It’s going to storm again. It’s nearly lost in the rumble of the sky, but a doleful whine reaches my ears from nearby. 

Asra spins to face the direction of the whine. “Inanna?” 

The wolf is behind us, looking up the tree from the shadows, Senka pacing anxiously behind her. Inanna’s whine gives way to a howl. Thunder cracks over our heads and Muriel descends with an earthshaking thud. 

“I saw it,” Muriel practically growls, eyes flashing with hatred. 

Asra’s eyes widen. “Are you sure it was him?” 

“Yeah. It was _him_.” 

++++

We tromp through the woods, breathing heavily. The clouds are rumbling up ahead, and the air is vibrating. Muriel stalks a couple paces ahead with silent purpose, flanked by Inanna. Beside me, Asra keeps his voice low. 

“Muriel must be warming up to you, to take us to his runecasting spot.” I’m not so sure about that being entirely true, but I keep my doubts to myself. “Did we ever talk about rune magic? He asks questions, throws the stones, and interprets their answers. Like we do with the cards. When he wants the clearest answers, he goes to the top of this mountain. I have to ask some questions too.” 

“From the cards?” 

A secretive smile curls his lips. “Yes. But not the usual way.” 

When we reach the top of the mountain, my legs give out under me. The sky is darker than the hour. Asra dips down to offer me water, and once Senka and I have had our fill he drains the rest. He licks his lips, eyes bright. 

“Remember the place I took you at the fountain, on the other side of the water?” That place… I can still envision the vibrant colors, the changing sky. It was an unpredictable realm. 

“As a magician, you make your own gate into the deeper planes of reality. Within your mind. The place I took you is my gate. I don’t know how you were able to cross into it, but…” he shakes his head. “In time, we’ll work on opening yours.” 

Opening the gate within my mind? The deeper planes of reality? How can I open a gate to the deeper planes of reality when I can’t even remember the majority of my life? My heart races steadily as I try to stay calm. It’s easier once he takes my hands, stroking his thumbs over mine, and starts some deep breathing. Senka rubs against my back in her own attempt to quiet the thoughts racing through my head. Relaxation washes over me. 

Muriel’s crunching footsteps register as he comes to stand, energy neutral. “You’re taking her in?” 

“I need to ask my mentor some questions. And… I think it’s time they meet.” He looks deep into my eyes, holding my hands secure. 

“Try not to be fearful, Auri. We’ll be together the whole time.” Asra smiles and gestures toward his friend with a tilt of his head. “And Muriel will be watching over us on the physical plane. His aura is strongest when he casts.” 

I look at Muriel, trying to keep the small smile under wraps. His strength doesn’t seem like a concern. I’m sure he’d be fine watching over us without casting. 

“All you should have to do is close your eyes. Breathe deep and empty your mind.” 

I close my eyes. Soon, the world starts to fall away. Everything, but the rhythmic sound of stones hitting the gravel, fingers scraping them up. Tossing them again. Senka’s even breathing against my back. The warmth of the hands holding mine. 

It’s like I’ve only just closed my eyes and I’m here. It’s as dazzling as I remember. Asra watches my reaction and leads me to the edge of the gently growing and shrinking water. 

“It’s so weird to see you in here. I can’t get over it.” His eyes dart around our surroundings, looking embarrassed. “I was pretty young when I made this gateway. It’s a little juvenile…” 

“It’s not juvenile,” I interject quickly, “It’s beautiful.” And it certainly matches him. I don’t think Asra could make anything that wasn’t bright and colorful. 

Asra smiles warmly. “No two magicians imagine it the same. I really wonder what yours will be like.” He takes two steps into the water, up to his shins, and waits. “Well… come on in. Don’t be shy.” 

I look down my arm to our joined hands, then back up. When I take the first step, I feel effervescence. A few more steps and my whole lower body is aglow. We’re going all the way in, I realize. Asra laughs softly at my expression. 

“If you want, you’ll be able to breathe. But there’s no need.” 

We are into our chests, water moving around our bodies, flowing between us and starting to take on the colors of our auras. 

“Ready?” he asks, smiling once I nod. “Here we go.” 

The roiling water rushes soundlessly around my ears as we dunk, and I am enveloped in bubbles, then nothing at all. The next thing I know is the sensation of rushing forward, out of a sparkling wave and onto a wide pink beach. Galaxies arch above me. For a horrifying moment, I think I’m alone. I look to my side. Asra is there, the curves of his face glowing in the shifting light. But I don’t feel his hand in mine. These bodies must be subtler than the one I’m used to. My flash of distress is not unnoticed. 

“Are you all right?” Asra asks. 

It’s hard to say. Other than the feelings I get when I look around, there’s no sensation. It feels like he could slip away. “We’re here to ask questions?” 

“Yes. We’re going to ask the communicator of all magical knowledge, the bridge between humanity and the infinite. The Magician. I wonder what form they’re going to take to meet you.” 

The Magician… the card? No. The voice I listen to when I pull the card? Asra drops the news like it’s something completely normal to speak to the cards’ voices in person. 

“Ah. They’re here.” Asra points towards the trees. 

There is a palm tree swooning in a half-moon curve just ahead that catches my eye. Deep indigo footprints move down in a winding path down the trunk, across the sand. We stop under its swaying fronds. The figure that appears like pigment in water is one I recognize immediately. 

“Asra, you’re back so soon.” They look just like the card. When their fathomless gaze falls on me, I feel the spark of interest. “And Aurex… do you recognize my voice?” 

I feel the answer come from my heart. Yes. I’ve heard it many times, though never in words. However, Asra wastes no time in getting to business. 

“There’s an entity manifesting at the palace. We saw it. We have questions.” 

“If it’s answers you seek, you’re at the wrong place. If it’s more questions come with me.” The Magician peels back some invisible ripple, steps inside as a tent fades into existence around the swaying fold. Asra and I are left outside. I can hardly restrain myself. 

“That’s the Magician. From the card.” 

Asra smirks. “Try not to get too starstruck. They love to play tricks. Especially on new blood…” 

I huff in response. I’m hardly what I’d consider “new blood”, I’ve been communicating with the vulpine Magician for some time now. And I’d like to think I’m not one to be easily tricked. Asra has a private smile as I throw back the curtain. 

The first thing I notice is the familiar shapes and colors as they bloom out of the shadows. It’s the back room of the shop. But not really. There’s no familiar scent of dried flowers, tea, incense. I settle onto one of the well-worn velvet stools. Asra sits across from me and the Magician sits between us to form a triangle, shuffling a deck of cards. 

The Magician glances up at Asra. “There’s an entity manifesting at the palace. That’s vague, isn’t it? Is it something you’ve never seen before?” 

“It’s… Lucio.” 

“Lucio? Lucio appeared before you?” Their ears perk in surprise. “You don’t trust appearances, do you, Asra? Looking like Lucio is easy.” 

Asra straightens his back, meeting the Magician’s eyes. “It doesn’t look like him. But I know it’s him.” 

The Magician’s honey gaze slides over to me. They stop shuffling and spread the cards before me. “ _We_ saw it? You saw it too, Aurex? If this creature doesn’t look like Lucio, what does it look like?” 

“The Devil.” The answer comes seemingly out of nowhere, but it feels right. 

“The Devil? Which one?” Three cards are laid before me. The Magician beckons for me to flip a card and doing so reveals the Devil. “Did it look like this?” 

I nod, eyes lifting from the card. Why hadn’t it occurred to me sooner that Lucio’s goat looked similar to the card? 

“The goat-headed Devil. A powerful archetype,” the Magician says. “The goat has a terrifying tenacity. Always pushing their own limits. And when one sees another reach new heights, it is compelled to surpass them. For better or worse.” The rest of the cards disappear from the table as if they were never there. 

“Those are the traits that Asra associated with the Devil card when he made this deck. These were also the traits that Lucio identified with the most.” The Magician taps their chest once. “We major Arcana are archetypes, forms of pure and ancient energy in the human subconscious. You may not know me well yet, Aurex. But we speak often, don’t we?” 

Curious to know where this conversation is going, I tilt my head and nod slightly. “Yes.” 

“The more we communicate, the more familiar you will become with my character. And then you’ll know me from an imposter taking my shape.” Mischief overtakes the Magician’s vulpine features. “Taking shapes is easy magic.” 

In a plume of vibrant blue smoke, the Magician transforms. Once the smoke dissipates, there are two of Asra, though the real Asra is staring wide-eyed at his smirking double. 

“Say… How well do you think you know your master, Aurex?” 

I frown at the Magician, not entirely eager to play whatever game is no doubt coming. “He’s not my master.” 

“He isn’t?” The Magician tuts their tongue at me. “But hasn’t he taught you everything you know?” 

“Not everything,” Asra interrupts, coming out of his shock. “Aurex is curious, too. She learns from her own experience, not mine. I want to help her on her own path.” 

“Interesting. You do seem to know each other well. It makes me wonder…” The Magician focuses on Asra intently. “How well do I know you, Asra? As well as Aurex does? Better? Surely then I could imitate you and fool her, don’t you think?” 

I can sense a test coming. My mind races for ways to tell Asra from this incorporeal being who knows him so well. Irritation buzzes through me when their gaze turns back to me. 

“What do you think, Aurex?” the Magician asks, their voice changing to perfectly mimic Asra’s. “Would you know your Asra from mine?” 

Crossing my arms, I answer simply. “I would know.” 

The Magician looks too eager for my tastes. “Is that so? What makes you so sure?” 

“I’m sure. It’s not a matter of whether I can be tricked or not. I don’t have to look at him to know when he’s come down the stairs in the morning. I know it’s him by the feeling that comes over me.” I meet _my_ Asra’s eyes. “So, I would know.” 

“Aurex…” he murmurs, voice filled with adoration. 

Chuckling, the Magician transforms back into their fox-headed form. “It was a trick question. I’ll let you figure out the answer.” 

Biting back a sigh at the Magician’s obviously unnecessary antics, I look at Asra, but he’s already watching the Magician’s hands. They tap my card and it fades into the table. 

“When any two beings become familiar enough, the line between them can seem to disappear. To connect with one of the Arcana on a personal level can awaken a wellspring of power.” The Magician’s ears perk. “But if the connection is too deep, you run the risk of losing your individuality. Becoming your archetype. Lucio tried to become one of the Arcana, but he failed.” 

Asra’s jaw drops. “He tried to… become the Devil? How?” 

“Why don’t you ask him?” 

With a flick of the wrist, the Magician sends my vision spinning again. I’m left trying to recall what I just saw. It threatens to slip away as if I’m waking from a dream. The lingering words echo in my mind as I become aware of raindrops on my head and shoulders. 

My eyes flutter open. Asra is sitting in front of me, holding my hands, and Muriel is beside us, unmoving. He must have finished his casting. We both watch as Asra’s closed eyes twitch and slide open. 

“Did you get any answers?” Asra asks, eyes focusing on Muriel. 

“Did you?” 

With a nod, Asra explains what we learned. “Lucio… tried to become the Devil.” 

Muriel takes the news with an astounding amount of ease. “Are you surprised?” 

“I guess not,” Asra shakes his head. “I just want to know how…” 

“I don’t like the sound of that.” A pointed glance at me and Muriel rises, followed by Asra, who pulls me to my feet. I feel strangely energized. 

Asra must pick up on my mood because he smiles brightly at me. “The rain feels good right now. If we’re fast, we might make it to the palace before it gets bad. Ready to go back, Aurex?” 

I was born ready. I see the palace’s high towers on the stormy horizon and lead the way. 


	12. Wheel of Fortune

The first light of dawn blazes gold off the palace towers when Asra and I arrive at the garden wall. I keep close beside him as he runs his hand through the vines that cling to the sheer stone.

“Found it,” he finally proclaims after some time. He takes hold of a knob in the wall, brushing back the vines with his other arm to reveal the rusty door underneath. And flashes me a look of disbelief when it opens without resistance. “Unlocked? This is the servants’ door, it’s always locked. The guards must also be swapping shifts right now. Our luck is unusually good today.”

We step inside. A shriek from above jolts us to attention and I squint up into the light. Perched on top of the wall is an opalescent owl, its circular face a perfect reflection of the sun.

“Chandra!” Asra calls out in surprise.

Though it is far up above us, I see its eyes focus in on me as if they were a hair’s breadth from my face. It sees the very essence of my mind. Then the moment is gone, and it takes flight for the towers.

Drawing my attention away from the disappearing owl, I glance back at Asra. “Chandra?”

“She’s an old friend of the Countess; she’ll tell Nadia we’re here. We might even get a private audience,” Asra informs me, followed by a sigh that manages to be both relieved and anxious. “That’s good. Trying to explain everything we need to explain to her will be… Delicate. My first concern is the swarm of beetles, but that’s pretty straightforward. We’ll need to take care with what we say, and when we say it. When we talk about _him_.”

Asra’s gaze pierces past my shoulder, toward the marble arch at the end of the servant’s path. The thick air underneath it whirls and churns under the force of his stare. The twin goat heads seem to leer back. “There are eyes and ears everywhere within these walls.”

Vines lick at our ankles as we steal down the opposite direction, into the maze. It doesn’t take long for us to find our way and soon, we duck into the canopy of the sleepy willow tree in silence. Asra parts the frondlike branches to look around. Other than birdsong, there is only the babbling of the fountain beyond.

Faust squirms around Asra, emerging from the folds of his coat, and based on his worried expression she’s saying something to him that doesn’t sit well with him. “The Countess hasn’t been sleeping well?

“ _Tosses and turns_.”

“Right. Chandra might have trouble waking her.” Smiling at his familiar, Asra kneels down. “Why don’t you stay in the garden for now, Faust? Find somewhere to hang.”

Obediently, she slips off of his arm into a hole at the root of the tree and out of sight. Brushing against my thigh, Senka also takes her leave and leaps up the trunk to settle in the branches above. I round the other side of the broad trunk under her sleepy gaze, running my fingers over the bark. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice a shudder runs up Asra’s spine and he stares at me wide-eyed.

“Woah. I just felt your touch.”

I look down at my hand, under my fingertips at the dips and valleys engraved in the bark. _Aurex_. My magic glistens along the symbols and fades.

Asra drops the willow weepers to stand beside me, wincing at the painful carving. “You know by now, don’t you? That your first memory of me… wasn’t the first time we met.”

“I know,” I nod, fully aware that Asra knows the answer. That image at the very beginning of my hazy memory, the sight of his face… I had already known him before then. Too many things have been pointing in that direction for me to not realize that. This carving, Asra’s memories from the library, my own memories in the cave. Funny how all I’ve wanted is my memories back and an unexpected trip to the palace provided the catalyst.

He nods softly and takes my hand as I stare at the lines of my name in his irregular script. “If you knew how carefully I tried to hide it all from you, thinking it would hurt you… And then this is right here. It’s amazing that I could forget.”

The sorrow that overtakes Asra’s face as his mind is clearly elsewhere urges me closer, squeezing his hand in an attempt to pull him out of those memories. “The place my mind was in, the last time I was here… I missed you so much. When it rained loud enough, I could lean against this tree and call out for you as many times as I wanted.”

He rests his forehead against the bark, the careful shape of my name. What was I doing, then? When he was here at the palace, calling for me… where was I? The question burns in my chest, but as I watch him slide his thumb over the grooves, it catches in my throat.

Finally coming back to here and now, Asra leans away from the tree. “I should heal it over…”

“Do it.” Releasing his hand with a final squeeze, I smile reassuringly even though he hardly needs my approval for this. If he thinks it’ll help, who am I to stop him?

“I’m doing it.” The smile curling his lips banishes the lingering gloom. He splays a hand on the broad trunk and closes his eyes. Light stutters and pops under his hand. A pulse of energy goes through the tree, and Asra moves his hands away. My name is clearer than before. “What? Why?”

I frown at the carving. “You can’t pull it out? Even if it’s your own magic?”

Asra looks worried as he stares at the tree. “There are all kinds of magic you can do that you can’t undo on your own. The last time I was here… I did things that I would never have wanted you to know. There’s still so much to tell you, and I don’t know if you’re ready to hear.”

My heart is racing. Looking at his tortured profile, I truly do not know if I’m ready either. What happened to us? What happened that left him with this scar, that was erased from me? None of the past attempts of finding out what happened to me have worked out, so will I ever be able to know at all? That thought scares me as much as the other what ifs.

A sharp cry thankfully disrupts the dark path my thoughts were taking.

Asra glances towards the fountain before he takes me by the shoulders and looks me in the eye.  “She’s here. Remember, even if all we want to do is explain… you never know who’s listening. Eyes and ears.”

Dipping my chin once to let him know I understand, I start making my way toward the palace, Asra not far behind. When we emerge from the maze, the Countess is with her owl on the balcony, waiting.

“My most esteemed traveling magicians. Welcome back,” Nadia greets with a smile before we’ve reached the stairs. “I trust you have a wealth of secrets to share.”

“Yes, Countess. If only it was better news,” Asra answers.

His frown doesn’t go unnoticed even at this distance and Nadia merely nods. “Whatever the news, I am ready to hear it. Come, sit. This is last night’s tea, but I have not stopped drinking it.”

At her gesture, we climb the stairs to join her on the veranda. Asra’s aura shrinks and shifts color to give off a neutral calm.

“Forgive me if I am not at my sharpest. Preparation for the Masquerade has been exhaustive. My sleep last night was… particularly disturbed.” The Countess takes a sip of her tea, shaking her head briefly before continuing. “Tell me, then. What did you find? The doctor, perhaps?”

Beleaguered hope glimmers in her eyes. Asra and I look sidelong at each other. Deciding to be the one to break the news, I just shake my head. There’s no sense in delay or sugarcoating. “We found something worse.”

“Something worse?”

Asra sends me a look that I can’t quite decipher. “Potentially. But we seem to have made it here before the swarm.”

Nadia’s calm façade shatters at the revelation. “Before the _what_?”

“We found red beetles,” Asra says. “You know, the ones that everyone thought were gone.”

“My word… red beetles? I have never gotten my hands on a live specimen…”

“Our hands might be full soon.” Shrugging lightly at the Countess’ musings, Asra makes a vague gesture towards Nopal. “We unearthed a whole nest of them northeast of here and I think they’re headed this way.”

I suppress a shudder at the memory. “They flew up out of the ground right under our feet.”

“My goodness, that is a thousand times worse than I expected.” Nadia leans back in her seat, resting her chin in her upturned palm. It’s easy to see that her thoughts are going a mile a minute. “I may have to quarantine you both. Guests have already begun to arrive… what can we possibly do to stop a swarm of insects?”

“Did somebody say swarm of insects?”

Two of the Countess’ courtiers appear, their presence making my pulse start to rise. To say I had hoped to not see them again would be an understatement. The first is Procurator Volta, who cowers eagerly to Nadia’s side. The second, and the source of the question, is Pontifex Vulgora, crushing a beetle in their merciless metal grasp.

“My house has been infested with these things. They’ve been coming in on an easterly wind,” Vulgora says, wiping the remains of the beetle from their hands.

Nadia straightens up at that. “They have? For how long?”

Vulgora lifts a shoulder, glaring at the Countess. “For about one hour, which is why I have arrived at the party early and furious.”

“And I, Countess, have arrived early and so very hungry,” Volta speaks up finally. Her gaze eventually lands on me and Asra. “What is this? Your magicians are multiplying.”

Asra’s eyes widen in recognition. “Procurator Volta, I remember you. You have a sharp nose. You could smell the plague.”

I can’t help but look at the odd courtier with surprise. Smelling the plague? Maybe the courtiers aren’t as useless as they seem to appear.

Volta doesn’t notice my expression and only smiles sadly, something wistful in her eye. “Yes, the scent of oncoming death makes my starving teeth water.”

“Your work separating beplagued food from plagueless was essential, Volta,” Nadia commends. “And Vulgora, your… enthusiasm on the battlefield has also been valuable to this house. I wonder if you would like to unleash it upon those beetles.”

Vulgora nods vigorously, bloodlust overtaking their face. “Now that you mention it, I don’t even know why I’m here when I could be eradicating every single one of them.”

Excited clapping sounds from Volta. “And I could be snacking on— ah, disposing of the remains!”

A pleasant smile curls the Countess’ lips. “Splendid. Please do that. Keep me informed.”

My heartbeat stops climbing as the courtiers turn to depart. Then Asra calls out from my side and I could shake him for it. At least until I see the worry on his face.

“Volta, before you go. Smell Aurex and I for the plague. Please.”

She stops. Blinking her watery eye, she creeps toward us and inclines her head. Asra offers his hand, and her nose roves thoroughly over his open palm. “No plague.”

Asra sighs and turns to me, nodding in encouragement. I swallow, throat suddenly dry, and hold out my hand. Volta sniffs my palm, huffs, and sniffs more deeply between my fingers and over my wrist. I nearly jump when she sneezes.

Volta gives me a small smile, dropping my hand. “Smells sweaty.”

“Quite true. I must invite both of you to bathe at the earliest convenience,” Nadia says, and I almost smile at her polite way of agreeing that Asra and I smell. “Thank you, Volta, Vulgora. We will be in touch.”

Once dismissed, the courtiers skitter away. Nadia gives us a wide-eyed look, sipping her tea until they’ve gone. “So… a swarm of insects. I must admit, of all my nightmares, I did not foresee this one coming true.”

Asra leans scoots forward in his seat, looking like he wants to reach out to Nadia, but he stops himself. “You said your sleep was disturbed last night, Countess. Was it nightmares?”

“Yes, I believe they may be related to stress.” A resigned sigh slips past Nadia’s lips as she covers her eyes with a hand. “The Masquerade is only three days away. The nearer it grows, the more my subconscious haunts me. The images become more… vivid.”

“Do you remember them, when you wake?” Asra queries, his voice soft. “Do you think you could describe them?”

The Countess’ hands twist in her lap, her jaw tight. Then she leans forward and speaks in a quiet, sleepless voice. “It sounds silly to put it in words. The places are not always the same, but the creature—”

“Creature?” Asra interrupts, brows raised.

“The goat. White, red eyes… does it sound familiar?” The look in Nadia’s eyes hints that she hopes that it sounds familiar.

Of course, it’s a goat. I sneak a glance at Asra’s profile while he clings to the Countess’ half-whispered words.

“In my dreams, it wanders the palace. Screaming, striking the walls. I saw it in the kitchens last night bent over the remnants of supper, steam billowing from its nostrils, drool hanging from its mouth… It felt so real.” She peers down into her tea, long gone cold, swirling it with a conflicted expression. “Silly, as I said.”

“It’s not silly, Nadia,” I say softly, reaching forward to lay my hand on hers. “Trust your subconscious.”

The Countess’ eyes flick up to mine, and a bolt of understanding passes between us. “You don’t mean…”

“What you’re sensing is no dream. I feel it too.”

“We both do,” Asra chimes in. “As much as we’re excited for the Masquerade, no one has forgotten the past. It would make sense if the preparations are stirring up the old energy.”

Realization dawns on Nadia’s face. “Now that you mention it, the master bedroom was recently renovated. I wonder if that may have agitated the… energy.”

“If it’s all right with you, Aurex and I could do a blessing on the room,” Asra offers. “The whole wing, if need be. We brought back some very potent myrrh.”

Before Nadia can answer, there is a sneeze, a series of sneezes. Coughing, dry retching from the bushes below.

“Quiet you fool!” An angry voice follows that could only belong to Vulgora.

More gagging noises follow. “Oh, smells terrible!”

Volta. Why are the courtiers hanging around in the garden when Nadia had dismissed them?

Nadia stands and walks to the railing, peering over. “Volta! Vulgora! Did you get yourselves turned around in the maze?”

Both courtiers simply smile and give conflicting answers. I narrow my eyes at the pair of them as the Pontifex glares harshly at their companion. Hissing, Vulgora hauls Volta up the stairs, not breaking stride to bark at a passing servant.

“You! I’ll be back for the Masquerade. Ready my chambers!”

“Wow, okay, fine. But I’m not happy about it…” The servant turns out to be Portia, a scowl forming as she watches the courtiers leave. Turning back to the veranda, surprise replaces the scowl. “Ah! Milady, you’re up so early! And the magicians are back!”

The Countess gives her handmaiden a bright smile as she makes her way to Portia. “Good morning, Portia. We have much to prepare.”

Asra stands, calling out. “Countess, wait.”

She stops and turns, watching Asra curiously as he sidles up to her. “Yes, Asra?”

“There are a couple of arrangements we’ll want to make. For the blessing.” He whispers something fairly long in Nadia’s ear. Her eyes widen, and she gives him an odd look.

“Interesting. I suppose that can be done.”

Curious, I try to catch Asra’s eye as I join the trio. But he only gives me a subtle smile as we are led inside.

A short way in, Nadia suddenly speaks up. “Ah, Portia. Would you draw a bath for our guests? Mine is the finest in the house. You are welcome to use it… both of you.”

Portia grins at Nadia’s offer. “Wow! The Countess’ private pool. What an honor!”

My muscles groan at the prospect of sinking into hot water. I can’t even imagine what I look like after our little adventure either. Asra groans, too.

“Sounds perfect to me. What do you want to do, Auri?” His usual smirk is stretched across his lips, his eyes sparkling with something akin to mischief.

“We can bathe together.” I manage to not roll my eyes at his enthusiasm, though I can feel an answering smile despite that. There is only one bathroom at the shop after all, so it’s not like we haven’t seen each other naked before. Yet he’s acting like he just received the greatest gift ever.

“Lovely,” Nadia says.

Asra turns that catlike grin toward her. “Lovely is right. We’ll clean up nicely, don’t worry, Countess.”

“Oh, I have no doubt you will.” The smile threatening to curl Nadia’s lips would be embarrassing if I was able to think of anything besides getting clean after so long.

Asra is alight with excitement, waving goodbye to the Countess as Portia ushers us to the bath.

++++

It is a warm morning, far warmer than the one before. The air is balmy, and faint steam rises from the water. My gaze follows the glittering sunlight across the tiles, up to the sprawling mirror. When I catch sight of my reflection, I burst out in laughter.

Asra’s voice echoes from across the room. “What’s so funny?”

“There’s mud all over my face,” I answer, attempting to scrub the offending mud from my cheek. Come to think of it, my typically flawless eyeliner is looking pretty horrendous, too. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I don’t see that kind of thing when I look at your face.”

Looking at him in the reflection, I smile at the blush creeping across his cheeks. I cross my arms over my chest, sinking into a hip as I tease him. “Is that so? What do you see then?”

He looks up at the mirror and comes to stand beside me, winding his arms around my waist and resting his chin on my shoulder. “Well, those lips always hypnotize me, they form the most beautiful words. But it’s these eyes that I can’t escape. The rest of the world loses focus. Nothing else matters.”

My eyes widen at his words and I twist in his arms to see him smiling as he leans in. When he kisses me, I feel the truth in his words. A low sound escapes my throat. He runs his hands up my arms, up my neck to cradle my head in his hands as his lips caress mine.

When the seal is broken between us, his thumb brushes my cheek and I feel him laugh through his nose. “You do have mud all over your face.” I snort, shoving half-heartedly at his chest as he giggles in delight. “Shall we get in?”

I feel the veil of silt wash away as I sink into my shoulders. Unable to stand the dirt a second longer, I dip below the surface before stretching out my limbs without touching the sides. Too bad I can’t fit a larger tub in the shop because I could get used to this.

My body bobs with the movement of water when Asra slips in beside me, sighing deeply. “This is the best. Here, I’ll wash your face.”

His smile is mischievous as he opens his arms to me. I let him guide my head to rest in his lap. The touch he laves over my face is exquisitely gentle. I feel so pampered. I lay my arms over his thighs and let my elbows hang off either side.

“Comfortable?” he asks.

I nestle in and nod. He attends to the mud, kissing me once on each brow, twice between them. My eyes threaten to slip closed, but I can’t stop watching the sunlight play over his lovesick features.

When my face is clean, I slide out of Asra’s lap and rearrange myself upright to meet his simmering gaze. “Thanks.”

“Anytime.” His breath is deep as his chest rises and falls under my hands. My heart swells with affection. “I’ll wash your hair.”

“Oooh, sure. One moment.” He ducks under the water while I fetch a bottle of creamy vanilla-scented soap that looks appropriate. I return over to settle with my knees on either side of his, kneeling in the shallows of the pool. As I wind my fingers into his hair and start to work the soap in, Asra’s eyes slide shut. “That smells amazing.”

I start working up a lather, scrubbing it away from his eyes with my thumbs when his nose wrinkles. His breathy laughter makes my heart ache in the best way possible. I hold either side of his face until he opens his eyes.

“Done?”

I nod, and he dips his head underwater. His soapy curls tickle between my knees as I wash my own hair, sighing at the feeling. When he’s done shaking the bubbles out of his hair, he slides his arms under mine to hold me, hair dripping.

“That was nice,” he murmurs. Water rushes over my waist as he surges forward to press a lingering kiss to my lips. When we break apart, Asra beams, fresh-faced and pleased with what he sees. “You’re shining like a raindrop.”

“A very soapy raindrop.” Regardless of the shampoo still in my hair, I smile and slip my arms around his neck. “But I do have to say we smell great.”

Although anything is better than what we smelled like _before_ the bath.

“We smell _delicious_ ,” he corrects me, placing a kiss on my nose before releasing me so I can rinse my hair. Once I resurface, he lets out an exaggerated sigh. “This is the hardest part… getting out. Wait here.”

He emerges from the pool, drizzling rivulets onto the floor, and returns with towels and robes. I am swept out of the bath and wrapped up tightly, kissed one last time on the cheek. Donning the silky robes Portia gave us, we hurry back through the halls to my guest room, dripping footprints behind us.

When I close the door, Asra is already seated on my bed, gleaming in his damp robe. “Looks like our old clothes are still being laundered. Oh well, these aren’t exactly the outfits I imagined, but they’ll work.” His eyes linger on my figure for a moment longer than necessary. “Well, if I look as tempting as you do in yours, they’ll definitely help.”

Retrieving a comb from the dresser and sliding it through my tangled hair, I move to sit down next to him. “Help with what, exactly?”

He shifts his gaze from wall to wall, even the ceiling and floor before he leans in to speak by my ear. “I thought we would feel more of a presence here, but no one is watching us right now. Out of a guy like _him_ , it’s suspicious. It’s almost like he’s hiding. But Nadia will need to see for herself what we’re dealing with.

“My plan was to lure him out. She’s been generous enough to make the arrangements. That’ll be the hook, but we’ll still need to bait him.” Asra grins. “Leave that to me.”

Two brisk knocks are our only warning, and Asra leans out of my space before Portia lets herself in. Her eyes move between us, flashing with interest. “Hey there, you two. The room’s been readied to your very mysterious specifications. I’m not gonna ask what you all have planned for that food, but don’t go wasting the Golden Goose.”

“We won’t,” Asra assures her.

Portia seems satisfied with his promise and gestures towards the door. “That’s all I ask. Right this way, magicians. The master chamber awaits.”

++++

The Countess is waiting for us, pacing at the foot of the ominous staircase when we arrive. “Asra, Aurex. Are the robes adequate? You requested comfortable dress.”

“Very comfortable, Countess.” After answering Nadia’s inquiry, Asra’s eyes flit about the space, lingering at the top of the staircase for a moment. “I don’t feel his presence down here. As far as I can tell, no one is listening.”

Relief relaxes Nadia’s posture and her pacing stops when she’s in front of Asra. “Then I have many questions. What exactly are we planning to do up there?”

“We’re going to make him come out.”

“Yes, that is what you said,” Nadia frowns at his simple answer. “I suppose I mean, how? To what end?”

“To see what we can learn. The creature from your dreams isn’t just Lucio. I’m not sure what it is yet. It’s not a ghost, but it definitely has his personality. If we tease his ego, he’ll come out.” The confidence in his tone seems to alleviate Nadia’s uncertainty. “And if that’s not enough… That dream of yours gave me an idea. Whatever form he’s in, he feels hunger.”

We take the first step, and an unearthly moan floats down from above, shaking the candelabras. My every hair rises, Asra’s too, as he takes a half step in front of me.

The Countess’ flashing eyes pierce the shadows. “You both heard that.”

Asra looks to me, nodding when I do. Nadia narrows her penetrating gaze and leads the way to the top of the stairs. The hall above is stagnant and dry, drawing the life out of us. The walls are lined with portraits. They are all very much the same, blond hair and gold leaf and red. But all ruined. Something has messily torn the eyes out of every face.

“When did all this happen?” Asra asks quietly.

Shaking her head, Nadia’s gaze flits between the paintings. “I don’t know. Sometime after I awoke from my sleep. Though I had a dream… The goat was shrieking at them, digging at them with his teeth. It went on for days.”

“You’ve been having these nightmares since you woke up?” Asra looks like he wants to reach out and comfort Nadia but is trapped by the fact that she doesn’t remember they were close friends.

“Yes.” Nadia doesn’t elaborate, instead continuing down the hallway.

We arrive at a doorway. Though the hall is cold, there is a red glow under the door. It gives off no heat.

“He must have been pretty weak, then,” Asra says out of the blue.

Nadia drags her gaze to look at him, brow furrowed. “When?”

“It took him days to chew a bunch of holes in his paintings?” A shit-eating grin spreads across Asra’s lips as he raises his voice slightly. “A normal goat could do worse. His tantrums when he was alive were _way_ worse.”

There is a dragging sound from within the room. Breath sucked hard through clenched teeth. I stare down at the floor as the red glow expands like a rolling wave of lava, gushing over our feet. Nadia takes a step back, sets her shoulders and looks at each of us. Asra nods. She opens the door.

It is warmer inside, and the air is thick. The room is still, but it thrums with an unmistakable presence. Red light emanates in waves from the lamps, though there is no flame. Residual magic then.

Nadia’s voice comes from the other side of the room. “Ah… this one is untouched.”

I wander to Nadia’s side while Asra starts to arrange our magical supplies around the bed. This single portrait is intact. Bigger than the others, it stretches nearly to the ceiling.

“How strange,” Nadia muses. “I thought I might recognize him if I saw his whole face.”

“Recognize him?” I glance at the Countess. She spent six years married to Lucio. Did she not know his face?

“Yes.” Her eyes study the portrait a moment longer before looking around the room. “There is… little I recognize here, since my awakening.”

“If you don’t recognize that face, I don’t remember him looking like that either.”

Both Nadia and I look back at Asra when he speaks up. He has taken a seat, cross-legged on the bed. At his feet are dozens of the most tempting delicacies. Slabs of meat brushed with fragrant herbs, grilled fruits, and dripping chocolate gleam in the red light. “Let’s try and connect with the residual positive energy here. Believe it or not, we weren’t always miserable.”

Her brows raise at that statement and Nadia asks, “We?”

Sadness touches Asra’s eyes, though he keeps his face neutral. “You, me, the Count, and the doctor. Do you have any memory of that?”

Nadia shakes her head slowly. “None whatsoever. And yet… I can imagine it very clearly.”

“Well, when the Count used to lay in here all day like this, he often demanded our company.” A grin replaces the wistfulness previously on his face. “But I could never pity him too much. Look at this bed. It’s enormous… and so plush.”

He makes a show of spreading out his limbs, stretching his arms over his head and basking in the comfort of the Count’s bed. When I turn to join him, I feel the faintest breeze at my back, the whistle of claws trying to snatch. The Countess follows.

“Aurex, you’ll be in the middle. You’ll take the place of the Count for now. All you have to do is play games and spit out food you don’t like,” Asra grins.

“How very taxing,” I deadpan. As I settle between Asra and the Countess, I wonder if the temperature in the room is starting to rise.

“I do love games,” Nadia says. “I cannot recall any preferences of Lucio’s.”

“Well, let’s see… he did love to play truth or dare.” Brows piqued, he gives me a teasing grin. I hear a thin squeal from somewhere nearby.

My grin matches Asra’s as I answer, ignoring the obnoxious sounds. “Then let’s play truth or dare.”

Nadia smiles. “Ah, delightful. Who goes first?”

“I would think the Countess,” Asra shrugs.

Nadia hums in agreement. “Aurex, if you please. Truth or dare.”

“Truth,” I say.

“What do you think of that portrait over there?” She nods to the gilded canvas hanging in my direct line of sight.

I give it a lofty once over and tap my chin, drawing out the silence. “Tacky.”

There is a choked sound of disbelief from neither Asra nor the Countess. Both are laughing.

“Why, Aurex, how bold and brash of you to say,” Nadia manages to say through fits of laughter.

“Go on,” Asra wheezes. “Please.”

I take no time to start criticizing the painting more. Payback for his treatment of me last time I was here. “Pugnacious face, ugly jewelry. Too much gold, and that’s coming from me.” I shake the bangles on my wrists for emphasis, though they’re only a portion of the gold jewelry on my body currently. “Too much red. The fur is swallowing him, he doesn’t wear it well. And quite honestly his arm is much more interesting to look at than the rest of him.”

The Countess gives a mock scandalized gasp while Asra collapses against me, weak with laughter. There is no way I’m the only that heard the sound that just passed over our heads, like a kettle rising to a boil. I glance at Asra and his eyes are locked on me, far sharper than his easy grin.

Without missing a beat, Nadia says, “Aurex, I believe it is your turn.”

When I shift my posture towards Asra, he shifts more fully toward me. He returns my steady gaze with equal intensity. “Asra, truth or dare.”

“Whichever you want.”

I had a feeling he might say that. Just to mix things up, I settle on a dare for him. “Asra, go to the armoire.”

“Oh? Okay.” He slides his hand over mine as he gets up from the bed, crossing the room to the rich redwood wardrobe by a panel of mirrors.

“Open it. Put on whatever you like.”

“Whatever I like… this looks familiar.” He drags a heaping pile of silky fur out of the armoire. It’s instantly recognizable. Lucio is wearing the same one in the portrait. The temperature in the room starts to rise.

“Ah, I can already see that you will wear it better,” Nadia says.

“You think so?” Just as Asra is about to pull the fur over his shoulders, the heat in the air climbs and the lamps begin to burn brighter.

“ _DON’T YOU DARE!_ ”

By the look on the Countess’ face, we all heard that.

“I’ve been dared. But it’s too hot for this anyway. I’m just going to leave that there.” Asra drops the fur and steps over it to join us on the bed again. With each step he takes across it, the lamps flare up higher. “But how could I forget the Count’s favorite game of all… Tarot, with whatever rules he wanted.”

Asra pulls out his deck, shuffles the cards in a fluid fashion and hands them to me. “Past, present, and future. Why don’t we each turn over one?”

I let the deck pass through my hands, breathing deeply before I lay three cards out upon the bedspread.

“Countess, would like to choose first?” Asra asks.

“Ah. Let me see.” She leans over my shoulder and considers the cards seriously. “I choose this one. The High Priestess. Reversed. Ah, she was always my favorite. And reversed…”

“As long as I’ve known you, you have had an incredibly powerful sense of intuition.” Asra tilts his head, looking at Nadia curiously. “But you kept that part of yourself secret. I never really knew why.”

“As a magician, can you not understand? Such things are not necessarily a gift. I feel as though this card understands. It speaks to me…” The Countess’ eyes grow distant. The point between her brows begins to glow before it pinches with pain. She covers it with her hand, groaning and lowering herself to the pillows. “Oh, of all the times. This headache.”

“You have them often?” Asra’s voice is as soft as his gaze, but Nadia can’t see that.

The Countess nods. Asra pours her a glass of water and gives me a meaningful look. Seems memory loss and irritating headaches go hand in hand around here. At the lilting wave of her hand, he returns his attention to the cards, making his choice.

“This one. The Devil.” Asra’s eyes lose focus as he listens to the card, echoing the words. “A trap that I’ve let myself fall into… a bond I refuse to escape.” Coming out of it, he looks over to me. “That’s ominous… this one was Lucio’s favorite. What could it mean?”

Nadia leans back up to peer at the card. “That card… out of curiosity, was _that_ the goat you saw?”

“Nope, it was smaller and less attractive,” I answer. Pity, there’s no reaction to the insult this time.

“Yes, exactly,” Asra agrees. “Your turn, Aurex.”

I flip over the last card, my focus already concentrating on its voice. “Death. Reversed.”

The voice of Death is not a cackle, not a scream… But a hiss, soft, like wind passing over dry grass. “ _You are the same. Nothing has changed. You have forgotten everything you learned. But the power to transform yourself grows inside of you_.”

“The power to transform?” Nadia asks, drawing out the question.

Asra answers her while I’m still pondering what it even meant. “Death is transformation. It would have been the Count’s favorite if he understood it. Instead, he spent his whole life running… hiding… In that portrait, he asked to have death under his heel. Do you want to know why? Because even after all the death he caused, he still cowered at the face of it.”

“ _YOU TAKE THAT BACK!!!_ ” Lucio’s shout echoes through the room. In a scorching burst of wind, Asra is thrust across the room and pinned to the portrait. The Countess and I leap to our feet. “ _I cower at the face of no one! Take it back!_ ”

Asra merely smirks. “Is that a dare? Because it’s not the truth.”

An infernal screech bounces off the walls before the lights go out. “ _Asraaaaaaaaaaaaa! You have always been impossible!! Impossible to hate… impossible to love_.”

There is a quick snap of moving fabric, and then the room is illuminated by a single intricate point of light. Asra’s robe has been thrown open, and there is a seal glowing on his chest that I have never seen before. It is his own spellwork, though he has never taught me anything like it. What is it doing on him?

“ _For someone with this, you’re high and mighty about following the rules_ ,” Lucio taunts. “ _And look where it got you, your sweet little Aurex is here by your side_.”

“Look where it got you, trapped on the incorporeal plane,” Asra hisses back.

“ _You think I’m trapped? You think you’re the only one who can pass between?_ ” The lamps blaze to life as a rushing sound fills the room, a roar. Where there was nothing there before a hazy figure of a goat appears in front of Asra. “ _Just because I don’t choose to show myself doesn’t mean I can’t! I can show myself whenever I want!_ _And you’re going to pay for making me do it when I’m still incomplete!_ ”

The creature’s claw flexes around Asra’s throat. Though he puts up a struggle, he flashes me a look to stay back. I clench my fist and call out into the dark.

“You’re stronger than him!”

Manic laughter comes from Lucio as he turns his attention to me. “You think your little master is stronger than me? I’ve got him wriggling like a worm! Pinned like a mere bug!” Deciding I’m of no import, the goat looks back at Asra, leaning close. “I found a real master here… you could have this too, Asra. You just have to accept him. Soon you’ll all see what I’ve learned. Everything I’ve gained. Until then… Don’t even think about forgetting me.”

All at once the warmth is sucked from the air, and the goat stutters out of existence.

Asra glances at each of us, pulling his robe on properly. “Please tell me you saw that, Nadia.”

The Countess looks completely appalled, speechless. All the same, she nods. “I saw everything.”

++++

The last rays of golden daylight filter into the salon as the Countess, Asra, and I take a moment to gather ourselves. While Asra pours hot tea into her untouched cup, Nadia is deep in thought, her brow knit with lingering pain.

“So… my nightmares are true after all. Lucio is back. And he has gained some kind of power.” Her eyes slide to the doors, the walls. She lifts her cup to her lips and takes a long drag.

“He said we would see everything he had gained soon. It’ll probably be at the Masquerade.” Lifting a shoulder in a weak shrug, Asra sighs heavily. “Or he’s lying. He doesn’t seem to be able to change his shape. At least not yet. But he knows how to hide. I imagine he won’t come out again until his transformation is complete.”

A chill passes over the parlor. Nadia sets down her cup and rubs her temples. “It will be difficult to navigate this situation. We will need to avoid panic”

“Yes,” Asra agrees. “And we don’t know who we can trust.”

“Precisely. Some would call me naïve simply for trusting you.” She fixes Asra with an inscrutable look from beneath her hand.

A brisk knock and Portia strolls into the room. Nadia clears her throat, Asra dusts off his lap and I straighten in my seat.

“For the time being, I extend both of you my invitation to stay as guests.” The smile on Nadia’s face is warm but still weary. “You are, of course, welcome to leave. But if something demands my attention, please do not hesitate to find me.”

Portia smiles at Asra. “Your room is all ready, Asra. I’ll take you there.”

“I’m not staying with Aurex?” Asra’s utter surprise at the fact that he has his own room is hilarious and I barely manage to suppress my laugh, reaching over to pat his knee consolingly.

“You are in the room next to hers. She won’t be far.” Amusement dances in Nadia’s eyes, but she does a better job than I did at keeping it hidden.

Portia also looks like she wants to laugh as she addresses both of us. “I also have goodies for each of you.”

“Ah yes,” Nadia nods. “I thought I might provide you both something more festive to wear.”

“I’m sure you picked well. You always put together my best looks.” Red crawls over Asra’s ears once he realizes what he said, clearing his throat to correct himself. “ _The_ best looks.”

“Is that so…” An enigmatic smile steals across the Countess’ lips as Portia whisks us out of the parlor.

++++

Asra is only on the other side of the wall, but when we part ways, a wave of uncertainty sweeps over me. I realize it’s coming from Portia. She chews her lower lip as she helps me into my beautiful, complicated gown. She bites back her questions, but curiosity burns bright in her eyes. The tension brings sweat to the back of my neck.

“So…” she drawls, “how was the blessing? All blessed up in there? You know, I never heard of soothing a ghost by bringing in all their favorite things.”

I bite my lip. Even if I wanted to, I know better than to speak openly with her. It’s frustrating, knowing and not being able to speak. I can only make a noncommittal gesture while she lingers on the fastenings of my dress.

Luckily, she doesn’t seem too miffed that I didn’t answer her, giving me a quick wink. “Okay, okay, I won’t ask. You magicians are so mysterious.” I smile gratefully at her as she steps back from me to take in the outfit. “Wow! The tailors outdid themselves on this one. You look rrrrravishing.”

I feel ravishing. The elegant beading lining my collar and sleeves is reminiscent of my own clothing. And the colors are so deep, shifting from imperial purple at the top to royal blue at the bottom, the fabric so smooth and fine it may as well be from another world. It sways like water with my movements, accompanied by the faint clinking of beaded strands draped across my back.

When Portia opens the door, she bows at the waist for me to pass. “Milady is in the ballroom with some very important guests. Do you dance?”

“Ballroom dance? Who knows,” I shrug. I’d say I’m a pretty great dancer otherwise though. Asra says I was a natural in the past too, and I’m inclined to believe him. But I haven’t had a chance to do any formal type of dance yet, so maybe I’m bad at it and forget all about it.

++++

When I enter the ballroom, I spy Nadia surrounded by three magnificent strangers. One notices me before they have even turned around to see me arrive. Their amber gaze is as piercing as an eagle.

“Is this Asra?” they ask.

Huh, that’s a new one. I haven’t been mistaken for him before since most usually think he’s much older. Much to his dismay.

Nadia shakes her head, smiling. “This is Aurex.”

That revelation clearly shocks them based on the way their eyebrows raise. “The apprentice? Her energy is so developed.”

“And so beautiful!” one of the other guests around Nadia coos enthusiastically. “What a resplendent aura…”

The final person steps forward, smiling pleasantly. “We have heard a great many good things about you, Aurex. I am Nasmira, fifth Princess of Prakra.” She gestures to the one with gold eyes and then the second. “This is Nahara, the fourth Princess, and Navra, the third.”

Princesses. There is undoubtedly some way I am supposed to act, and I don’t know the protocol. My body language and half-formed words communicate that well enough.

Nahara smiles at me, attempting to ease my flustered state. “Protocol is a dance for those who know the steps. Think not of it.”

“Indeed,” Nasmira nods, “please do not make yourself behave strangely on our behalf. Will your teacher be joining us?”

Before I can answer, Navra points behind me. “Oh! Would that be him, now?”

Would who? I whirl around, the last to spot the figure that just emerged at the top of the grand staircase. Asra is descending the stairs, radiant in his dazzling costumes. The sight of him takes my breath away. He strides shyly past the Princesses, but when he catches sight of me, his face splits into a brilliant smile.

“Aurex.” His gaze slips down the length of my dress. “Wow. I didn’t even recognize you at first.”

I was thinking the same thing. He looks like a whole new person. I have never seen him this way. He takes pride in every movement. “I like this.”

“Thanks…” A spectacular blush burns across his face and tinting his ears as nervous laughter slips past his lips. Then, like it was never there, he turns his signature smirk my way. “You look beautiful.”

Leaning closer, I rest my hand on his forearm. “ _You_ look beautiful.”

And just like that, his blush returns, albeit in a lesser way. Asra just can’t take compliments. “I feel a little strange. The servants treated me so differently in the hall just now… Like royalty. I feel like I should treat you the same.”

“So,” Nadia interjects before I can say anything. “Preparations for the Masquerade are reaching the final finishing stages. This room remains. Soon it will be transformed, wall to wall with the most dizzying revelry.”

“Have you been dancing, Aurex?” Nahara asks. “Honing your steps?”

“Not of the partnered variety.” I send a look at Asra that he returns with a flustered smile.

Princess Navra clicks her tongue. “Dance is spontaneity, dance is the body taking control back from the mind! There are no steps. Aurex, Asra, if you would like to take the floor… we shall see to the music.”

While Navra sweeps the other Princesses up in her enthusiasm, Asra and I wander onto the sprawling dance floor.

“We’ve been so wrapped up with things that I neglected the most important thing of all.” Asra lifts a finger to trail along my cheek as he leans closer. “Spending time with you. This is our first Masquerade together for you, right? It’s going to be a memorable one.”

As the music begins to swell, he takes my hands and guides one to his hips, keeping the other in his grip. When I dig my thumb into his waist for purchase, he grins. “Don’t worry about fancy footwork. Do what feels natural, I’ll follow.”

I take a step forward, and he steps back. In a flash, I’m spinning, and he’s catching me by the hand, watching me with his soft eyes aflame. He didn’t look at me like this before. Or did he? The thought makes my heart jump.

“What?” Asra drawls. He pulls us together, holding my hands high as he watches my feet and mirrors my steps.

My gaze remains on his face while he’s otherwise preoccupied, sweeping over his features. “In all the time we’ve spent together… you’ve never looked at me this way.”

“You mean I’ve never been caught.”

I cross under his arms, twisting into his chest and eyeing him over my shoulder. “How long?”

“Who knows? By the time I noticed, I was in too deep.” His breath ghosts over the shell of my ear as he leans against me. “Aurex. How long do you think we’ve known each other?”

How long have we known each other? I’ve tried not to think about it, too afraid to trigger a headache, but if I was to guess… “Five years?”

“Longer,” Asra says, looking like he’s enjoying this entirely too much as he twirls me to face him once more. He catches my leg over his hip, bringing us flush together. I am only momentarily distracted by the proximity and the feel of his fingers on my bare skin. But I also can’t remember four years ago, much less five. My memory only stretches back to the last three.

He dips me, so I am looking up into his face, the halo of his hair catching every shimmer of candlelight. “Seven years?” I ask.

“Longer.”

He sends me spinning to the end of his arm, but catches me, winding me back into a closer embrace. Even with everything going on around us, when we’re together we connect so easily. My body knows exactly what to do. I start to think about the possibility that we were in love. The look on his face and the thrill of my pulse make me feel as if I know the answer.

The tempo changes around us.

Blinking as if out of a dream, Asra casts a curious look to the Princesses. Princess Nahara is singing, Nasmira is playing a stringed instrument, and Navra is dancing as well. They harmonize perfectly. The glimmer in Nadia’s eye betrays her amusement as she accompanies on the pipe organ nearby. When she bats her lashes Asra snickers, pulling me closer to hide his face in my shoulder.

“I haven’t felt carefree like this in forever,” he mumbles against my neck. “Everything is perfect. I never want to let you out of my arms again.”

A sigh flutters out of me as my heart thrums to the slow beats and his hands rest on my hips. My arms snake over Asra’s shoulders and his hands slide around my back to meet at the base of my spine.

“If you told me a month ago that we would be dancing in the palace ballroom, surrounded by Princesses. Together. With you looking at me the way you are now…” Asra murmurs, shaking his head as he eyes dance over my face. “I would never in my wildest dreams have believed you.”

Arms still around him, I sway him to the side and rest my chin in the crook of his neck. When I speak, my voice is so close to his ear that I hear his sharp intake of breath. “Is this how we were before?”

I can feel Asra tense under my hands, but he relaxes just a moment later. “What do you mean?”

“Were we… together?” A confused frown forms on my lips, thankfully hidden from his view. I know there was _something_ there before, I’ve seen it in his memories, the carving on the tree, so why is acting like this?

“Define together.”

The combination of his tone and his hesitance to answer the question makes me pull back from his neck to meet his eyes, quirking a brow. “How would you define it?”

“Well… were we inseparable? Did we spend every moment together? No. From the start, I hardly ever saw you. And yet whenever we said goodbye, I felt like I was making an unforgivable mistake.” His hold on me tightens slightly as he lowers his voice for only us to hear even though no one else is close enough. “The times we did spend together were like pearls in the sand. Shining and precious one moment, gone the next.”

Almost unbidden, one of arms slips from around his shoulders, my hand coming to rest against his neck, thumb gliding over his jaw. “You really felt that way about me?”

He shakes his head. “Not at first. The first time we met, I thought I would never see you again. And then I did, the year after that and the year after that. I found myself thinking about you often. Wondering what you were doing, wherever you were. Making too many things to sell so I’d have plenty for you to choose from.”

“Did I know anything then? Of magic?”

“Of course. I’ll never know how much you knew.” A reminiscent smile lifts some of the dour mood that had overtaken the conversation. “You even kept Senka a secret for a while.”

I can’t help the laugh that bubbles out of me. How did I ever keep her secret? “I did?”

“I tried to guess which animals might suit you, but no luck. I can’t say I expected a jaguar.” Asra renews our swaying as he leans his forehead against mine, a soft chuckle rumbling through him. “I remember telling you ‘We’ll find the one for you. It’ll happen when it happens.’ And to think I had felt bad for you only to be scared half to death by a giant cat one day.”

Even though I don’t remember it all, it’s nice to know that we’ve always teased each other even when we barely knew each other. “That was easy for you to say, you figured you had already found the one for you.”

Asra gazes meaningfully into my eyes as if I am the most divine mystery in the universe. “I sure did.”

When the song comes to an end, he kisses my hands, takes a knee and presents me for the applause of the Princesses.

“What raw intimacy, what passion! What a dance! Ah, where are we?” Navra asks, a sly smile curling her lips. “Surely, I am returning from a secret world between the two of you.”

Nadia nods her head in agreement. “Indeed. That was quite enchanting to watch. You move seamlessly together.”

I am thoroughly embarrassed. Asra is no better, but he can’t restrain the smile from spreading across his flushed face.

“You both look rather warm,” Nasmira cuts in. “Shall we go out onto the veranda?”

“Yes, yes!” Navra enthusiastically agrees. “The owls are cooing; the moon is shining… the night is young.”

The Princesses return their instruments. As we exit the ballroom, Asra’s palm on the small of my back is warm and welcome.

“Oh, what a lovely night!” Nasmira coos. “Your garden is blooming beautifully, Didi.”

Nadia nods absently, staring off in the garden with a troubled look. “Yes, in three days’ time, this will be one of the few safe havens to escape from the revelry.”

“Ah! I thought you had come to appreciate the raucous delights of revelry, Didi!” Navra teases.

The opposite of her sister, Nahara looks to Nadia. “It was a surprise to receive your invitation. You never liked parties.”

“Oh, but the Masquerade in Vesuvia is another animal,” Nadia explains to her sisters without really declaring her stance on the revelry. “The people of this city live for it.”

“Is that so?” Navra muses. “Do you live for it, Aurex?”

I’ve never… I don’t remember a single Masquerade. Just the brief glimpse of in Asra’s memories from the library and that was before it started. The moment I start to sweat Asra steps in.

“As a matter of fact, the Masquerade is where Aurex and I met.” We did? My gaze swings over to Asra. He gives me a reassuring look or a guilty one. “I was doing splendors for loose change and selling masks that I made with my friend Muriel. But he always stayed home. So, I explored alone. If I needed money, I would find somewhere to set up shop and do tricks.

“I happened to be telling fortunes behind a certain magic shop. It was her aunt’s at the time. We had only just met when the streets filled with the sound of flutes and pounding feet. There was a visitor. We were crowded into my booth, and together we caught just a glimpse of the visitor… Nadia Satrinava, the seventh Princess of Prakra. That was the day you arrived, Countess. Nine years ago.”

Nine years. I do my absolute best not to gawk at Asra in astonishment. _Nine years?_ That means we met when we were only fifteen. Before I can get dazed by that news, I turn my attention back to the conversation around me, blinking away silly tears.

“Nine… has it really been so long? And how much has changed?” Nadia sighs softly, leaning against the railing.

Nasmira frowns at her sister, worry clear in her eyes. “You seem somewhat changed yourself, Didi.”

“Yes, we have been meaning to ask you something personal, but we do not wish to embarrass you,” Navra says. Obviously, she means me and Asra.

Nadia waves a flippant hand, urging her sister on. “Whatever you have to say to me, you can say in front of my magicians.”

“Fine,” Nahara says. “We have all been talking and we are concerned about this execution you have planned.”

“We understand the justification, of course,” Nasmira assures Nadia, “but is there no system of legal trial in Vesuvia?”

“As a matter of fact, there is not. One of the many failed institutions I plan to remedy…” Nadia admits. “But let me assure you, this man is not the one to spare.”

“The people want him dead?” Nahara asks.

“They want him dead. Their hunger for revenge is cavernous. At least…” Nadia’s face drops. She looks off into the garden, chewing the nail of her thumb. “That is what I have been told. By my… courtiers.”

“And you trust them?” Nasmira asks. “Your courtiers?”

Nadia looks surprised at the question, “Do I…?”

Just then, Volta and Vulgora bustle in from the hall, splattered with red grime and gunpowder.

“Countess, Countess! Wonderful news!” Volta says cheerfully.

With the wrathful fervor characteristic of them, Vulgora boasts, “The decimation is a smashing success. I’ll have them all destroyed by the commencement night.”

“The decimation?” Nasmira asks.

“Nothing you need to worry over, sister.” Nadia waves off Nasmira’s concern. “Well done, you two. Did you retrieve any live specimens?”

“I am afraid there are—” Volta’s reply is cut off by a burp, but she continues on like nothing happened, “no remains to crunch upon, I mean to speak of, left, Countess.”

A flash of red scurries out of Vulgora’s sleeve before they crush it, lightning fast, eyes bulging.

Nadia glances away from the pair of courtiers. “I see. Well, I suppose that is wonderful news. Perhaps the pieces are beginning to fall into place.”

A cry cuts through the night drawing everyone’s attention.

“Is that Chandra?” Navra asks.

Nadia glances up just in time to see the pearlescent owl swoop in, beating her wings rapidly. She refuses to perch. Instead, she shrieks with great insistence before she takes flight toward the center of the garden.

“What did she say?” Asra asks.

“There seems to be someone by the fountain.” The Countess hesitates only a moment before she signals to the guards lining the walls. They snap to attention. All of us take off at once into the garden below, guards clamoring at our heels. A circling raven gives a rueful cry overhead.

Asra is silent beside me, his eyes focused on something I can’t see as we rush through the maze. When we reach the center, a tall figure is kneeling there at the edge of the water, back turned, hands over their dripping face.

As guards start to round all four corners of the clearing, the intruder rises slowly and makes no move to run. _Julian_.

“Forgive me, Princesses. I thought I might try to freshen up before I asked for an audience.”

“Doctor Devorak!” Nadia exclaims. “I was… not expecting you.”

“Then you won’t be expecting this! I’ve come to accept my punishment. What can I say, the guilt was eating me alive.” The doctor shrugs his shoulders, something in his eyes saying he does, in fact, feel guilty, before a snarl takes over. “But that’s not all. I come to lay bare the secret I have only just revealed for myself. I was not acting alone.”

He turns, coat swinging around his shoulders, and his cold eyes lock on Asra. “Asra! You manipulator, you secret keeper, you wheeler and dealer, you were my partner in crime! Deny it, I dare you.”

All eyes fall on Asra. He looks to be dissociating spectacularly, rendered speechless. Overhead, the raven cries ruefully, circling the moon in wide wheels, up and down, up and down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Clearly, Senka is here to stay regardless of canon stating the apprentice doesn't have a familiar because I love her too much. Not to mention, it'd be a pain to go back and edit the entire fic to remove her.


End file.
